Five Finger Discount
by StatsGrandma57
Summary: The Rebellion needs credits badly. Han, Chewie and Leia are determined to find more of them by whatever means possible. Takes place shortly after the Battle of Yavin. The semester is now in its fevered end run. Due to the holidays and various busyness, chapter 15 has taken far too long!
1. Chapter 1

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 1

Han entered the command center of the Yavin Rebel base; he needed to report on the assignment he'd just completed. The mission had been nerve-wracking, but there was a war going on and nerve-wracking was what war was all about. He'd been trained for it, back in the day, and he had a feeling that General Rieekan knew it.

His other reason for heading for the command center was more personal. A certain petite brunette spent much of her time there, and Han never passed up an opportunity to catch a glimpse of her. Granted, when she saw him, she usually glared at him—and that was on a good day. On a bad day, she'd yell at him. He smiled at the thought.

He noticed that Leia, Rieekan, and Rieekan's accounting droid, LNN-Y2E were all hunched together, speaking _sotto_ _voce_ and shaking their heads. LNN-Y2E was one of the few droids Han could tolerate. He was a well-mannered droid, kept his conversation to the pertinent facts, and didn't panic over every last thing. Some questioned why Rieekan had an accounting droid; Han didn't. He knew that credits were the stuff that wars ran on, and victory required credits in massive amounts.

And it wasn't as if the Alliance could bid on prime contracts for equipment and supplies. The Princess may not have appreciated Han's smuggling credentials, but they were valuable, even she couldn't argue with that. And he was a skilled negotiator.

"General," Han said quietly.

Rieekan turned to him, looking mildly annoyed at the interruption.

"Solo."

"I might be able to help you balance your books."

Leia turned to look at him, her expression a combination of anger

and disbelief. "What would you know about our financial situation? It's none of your business!"

"It was my business when I managed to get sixty-five X-wings for you!" he shot back. "And I run my own business. It's pretty damn essential that I balance my books."

"I'm sure it is," Leia remarked acidly.

Rieekan held up his hand, silently warning the princess to hold back. "You said you can help us?"

"I think so," Han responded in a more normal tone of voice. "I'm willing to try. But I'd really appreciate it if you didn't ask me how, sir."

"Believe me, the less I know, the better," Rieekan agreed. "In fact, any transactions we conduct are already illegal, but if you don't want to reveal your...sources, I'm all right with that."

"General, with all due respect-" Leia began, but Rieekan held up his hand again.

"It's true that we're running out of credits, and more rapidly than we expected," Rieekan said to Han.

"We are going through them much faster than we had originally budgeted," LNN-Y2E, referred to as Lenny, agreed. "We will have to find ways to increase our credit flow."

"And you're going to let _him_ find these credits?" Leia was aghast.

Rieekan shrugged. "Do you have any other suggestions?" he asked her calmly.

Leia lowered her head in defeat. "I've cleared out my personal accounts, and those of my father that I've been able to access. I know there are more out there, but I can't be certain the funds are still in them. Believe me, if I could get them, I'd gladly donate them."

"I know you would, Princess," Rieekan told her kindly. "And your generosity is deeply appreciated. But the fact remains that we need more credits. If Captain Solo says he can get us some, I'm in favor of that."

He turned to Leia. "It's also possible that where Captain Solo is headed, you may be able to access some of your father's accounts as well, but even on worlds where we have strong support, it's dangerous for you to go alone." Rieekan held up a hand, halting the sputtering objections the princess was obviously ready to make.

"I'd feel better if you went along with Solo and the Wookiee," the general continued. "If there are accounts there, you can access them, and they've proven to be good at keeping you out of harm's way. And," he smiled fondly at the obviously annoyed young woman. "You can keep them out of harm's way as well."

What Rieekan hadn't said was what he feared most-that one of them, or all three, might be killed on this mission. He knew, too, that Solo would sacrifice himself to keep the princess safe.

The glance Leia gave Han was an icy one, and the one she gave Rieekan was an irritated one. However, she seemed willing to accept the general's instructions. For now.

"General, with all due respect, I don't think it's safe for the Princess to go with Chewie and me," Han now objected. It wasn't about not wanting to have the princess accompany him, far from it. But he knew better than anyone just how dangerous his idea was. There was a good chance Leia could be injured or killed. That disturbed Han more than he wanted to admit.

"I'm quite capable of taking care of myself!" Leia shot back.

"I didn't say you weren't, Your Highnessness. But I'm probably going to do some things you won't like," Han retorted. It was a weak excuse and he knew it, but it was the best he could come up with.

"I don't like anything that you do!" Leia snapped.

Rieekan held up his hand to indicate that both had best quiet down. ""Princess, you'll be accompanying Captain Solo. Is that clear to both of you?" Rieekan asked firmly. The arguments silenced, he turned back to Han. "How soon can you leave?"

"We need a few hours to get the _Falcon_ ready, but after that, we can be on our way."

"Very well. That'll be all," Rieekan told them.

It was not lost on Han that Leia never said she didn't want to go.

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"C'mon, Chewie, we've got to get the ship ready," Han announced as he approached the _Falcon_.

{{{What do you think I'm doing}}}? Chewie snarled at his colleague, pulling his head out of a maintenance hatch.

"We've got another mission to fly," Han explained.

{{{We just got back!}}}

"We need to get some credits."

{{{I'll say! This ship is a disaster!}}}

"No, not for us. For...the guys here." Han waved his hand in the general direction of the main hangar.

{{{Oh. That's different.}}}

"And Her Worshipfulness is coming with us," Han added grumpily.

Chewie burst into an explosion of Wookiee-laughter.

"What's so funny, fuzzball?" Han demanded harshly.

{{{You should see the way you act around her}}}, Chewie said, still chuckling.

"I don't act any different around her than I do around anyone else!" Han snarled defensively. "Now let's get this thing spaceworthy!"

Chewie hid his face so Han couldn't see him smirk.

{{{So where are we going}}}? Chewie persisted.

"Kallistas."

{{{You're not exactly a popular guy there}}}, Chewie reminded him.

"I'm not a popular guy anywhere! Now let's get to work! Can't keep her Highnessness waiting!"

{{{You're in love with her}}}, Chewie taunted.

"Shut up and work!" _Where did Chewie get off_ , Han muttered to himself as he headed up the Falcon's ramp, _thinking he was in love with Her Crabbiness, anyway? Granted, she was beautiful, and spirited, and intelligent, but it didn't mean he was in love with her..._

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	2. Chapter 2

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 2

Leia was not pleased. Granted, even though the possibility of being able to get credits from some of the accounts her father had hidden on sympathetic worlds throughout the galaxy would make the trip worthwhile, she was less than happy that she had no idea where she would end up. With Han Solo in charge, however, she was willing to bet that wherever it was, it was a Very Bad Idea. His unwillingness to reveal his destination, or destinations, and Rieekan's acceptance of that, left her with a bad taste in her mouth.

But credits were credits, which the Rebellion desperately needed. And, as Rieekan had pointed out, all actions committed or omitted by them were already considered criminal. Leia didn't think of herself as a criminal; she considered herself a freedom fighter, and sometimes, that involved things that disheartened her tremendously. Loss of life of her comrades, loss of sleep, and worst of all, loss of her home planet, all weighed heavily on her. She did her best to push those thoughts away amid the flurry of activity that characterized life during wartime.

But it was in her job description to keep morale up, so she never let on how much any of these things bothered her. It was only late at night, in her quarters, that the unwelcome thoughts took hold. They had made insomnia a constant companion, and her quarters had become, instead of a place of refuge, an area to be avoided. The lack of sleep was taking its toll on her, and she knew it. She hoped that no one else noticed.

And now she was traveling with the Most Infuriating Man in the Galaxy to gods only knew where. This did not improve her mood at all.

Granted, Han had managed to get the plans to the Death Star safely to base in that ridiculous bucket of bolts he called a ship, and he'd made it possible for Luke to blow up the technological terror. He'd ended up sticking around, and he volunteered for the most dangerous missions. She grudgingly respected him for that.

But he aggravated her constantly, and he clearly enjoyed doing it. The names he called her, along with the smirk he always had when he got her going, were ample proof of that. However, what angered her the most was the fact that he could get her all riled up. She'd stared down Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin, and yet, this crazy pilot with an ego the size of an Imperial star destroyer could get her worked up like no one else ever had.

She sighed as she packed a few things for the voyage, wondering how she was going to be able to stand being around the arrogant smuggler...with the very nice posterior…

 _Stop it, Leia! Keep your mind off him!_

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The _Falcon_ was a temperamental lady, and she'd chosen this particular time to be especially uncooperative. This did not improve the dispositions of the pilot or copilot, who were working furiously to make the needed repairs.

"C'mon, Chewie, we haven't got all day!" Han snapped at the Wookiee, angrily waving a hydrospanner.

{{{Wow, you're in a good mood}}}, Chewie observed sarcastically as he pulled up a damper.

"Very funny, fuzzball! Help me with this!" He slammed a second hydrospanner into Chewie's paw.

Han remembered the days hanging out at Shug Ninx's Space Barn, working on his ship along with other pilots, mostly smugglers, talking about and enhancing their vehicles, straining to draw every last bit of power from them. Shug had the best tools and techs and stocked the best parts. It made the job easier and a lot more fun.

Since hooking up with the Rebellion, however, working on his ship had become anything but a respite for Han. Everything in war, as he knew from his days in the Imperial Navy, was a long series of hurry up and wait, and that was something he'd never been very good at. War consisted of long stretches of boredom punctuated by moments of complete terror. As much as he enjoyed a good adrenaline rush, he liked it better when he wasn't getting shot at.

He could have left ages ago. He'd refused a commission, which had been offered to him several times; he preferred to remain an independent agent. Granted, the Alliance paid him, although it was hardly making him rich, and most of the time, he ended up giving anything that didn't go into repairing the ship back to the soldiers, mostly in the form of better kaf and intoxicants. He made more money at sabacc than what he was being paid, and yet, that, too, went into some niceties for the troops. Chewie felt it was the right thing to do as well, and he informed Han that Malla's wine-making business was doing well; she didn't expect her husband to send credits while there was a war going on. She also made extra income writing Wookiee romance novels. Han didn't want to think about that one.

"We've got to get the right deflector shield working!" Han snarled as he and Chewie worked at the recalcitrant circuitry. They'd been forced to settle for second-rate parts, and nothing annoyed Han more than not having access to the best quality items. The _Falcon_ was a first-rate ship and she deserved nothing but the best, at least in Han's mind. He'd survived in her because he'd always provided her with the finest. He eyeballed the tray of inferior items with contempt.

"Excuse me, Captain!" called an irritated female voice. Han, who was now atop the ship, moved over to where the sound was coming from, dangling a leg over the side.

Han looked down at Leia, carrying a duffel. "Yes, your Highnessness?" His tone was clipped.

"You made it clear in your comm that we were taking off at 1700 hours and not to be late. Well, it's 1700 hours; here I am." She tapped her foot impatiently on the ground, her expression chilly.

"Well, repairs would've gone faster if we hadn't had to improvise!" Han shot back at her. "We'll be on our way shortly. Go to the lounge and make yourself at home."

"Trust me, Captain, the last place I want to make myself at home is on your ship!" she retorted, as she headed up the gangway.

{{{She really likes you}}}, Chewie chuckled mischievously as the two finished screwing the last of the plates into place.

"You're out of your furry mind!" Han snapped back. But something in him, way down, hoped it was true…

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It was another half hour before Han pronounced the craft spaceworthy.

"We're taking off, Your Worship," he announced to Leia, who was seated on the passenger chair in the cockpit, working on a datapad.

"Finally!" she said, rolling her eyes. "I'll be amazed if we get there alive in this crate."

Han stood close to her face as she stood up. "Listen, Princess, having you along on this mission wasn't my idea!"

"It wasn't mine, either!"

Han gave her a lopsided grin. "Finally, we agree on something!"

Leia's face grew warm and and a deep pink blush spread from her face to her chest. "It'll probably be the first and last time," she said, not as smoothly as she'd have liked. _Gods, I hate the way he makes me react!_

Han thoroughly enjoyed how flustered she'd become.

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"Where are we going?" Leia asked Han as they broke free of Yavin's gravity well.

"I'll tell you when we get there," Han told her, preparing to make the jump to lightspeed.

"Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, I am traveling with you. I think I have a right to know where we're going," Leia remarked pointedly.

"You'll know when we get there," Han said to her levelly. Having her along was a bad idea, Han knew, and not just because she made his body behave in ways that were less than publicly acceptable. "I didn't tell Rieekan, and he went with it."

"Rieekan has too much faith in you," Leia snapped. Why Rieekan was willing to go along with this harebrained scheme was beyond her comprehension.

"Probably," Han mused, his eyes firmly fixed on the stars in front of him. "Ready for lightspeed."

Leia closed her eyes and was amazed when the junkpile of a ship actually made a smooth transition.

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"You're going to have to tell me where we are when we land, so you might as well tell me now," Leia persisted. She was seriously annoyed with Han, and not afraid to let him know it.

"Let me just say that on the first landing, you're not leaving the ship, so why worry about it?" Han said blandly, rising out of the captain's chair, preparing to head for the lounge. There wasn't much piloting required at lightspeed, and he used the time for other activities.

"Excuse me, what do you mean, I'm not leaving the ship?" Leia's voice rang through every corridor of the ship. "Who are you to tell me what I'm going to do? You're not my commanding officer!"

Han turned to her, his face taut. "Listen, Your Worship, I volunteered for this mission, meaning I'm in charge of it, meaning I'm responsible for everyone on it! Got that?"

"And why, may I ask, don't you consider me capable enough to perform this mission?" Leia demanded.

"It's not that, Princess," Han said, his tone level. "It's pretty likely that I'll run into beings that don't like me very much."

"Now there's a surprise," Leia remarked, but she'd toned it down a few notches.

Han gave her his signature lopsided smile.

 _No!_ Leia screamed internally. _Please don't let him smile at me!_

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Han prepared a pot of kaf and poured mugs for Chewie, Leia and himself. Chewie took his and retreated to his hammock for some downtime.

"Probably reading one of those Wookiee romance novels his wife writes," Han muttered as the Wookiee departed.

{{{I heard that}}}! Chewie awrroowed from his quarters, reminding his fellow passengers that his hearing was sharper than a human's. {{{She's very good, by the way}}}!

"He's married?" Leia asked in a surprised tone.

"Yeah. I was at his wedding." Han said simply.

"Then why is he here with you?" she asked in a genuinely curious voice as she sipped her kaf. She was pleasantly surprised. It was mellow and delicious, not at all like the swill served on base. In a small voice, she said, "The kaf's good. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he responded. He took a drink of his own kaf.

"So what makes him stay with you and not his wife?" Leia reiterated quietly.

"Well, in Wookiee culture, they have something called a life debt. If you save the life of a Wookiee, they're forever indebted to you and have to be of service to you for as long as you live. It's the highest responsibility a Wookiee can have, even more important than being with your partner or parents or kids. His family sort of adopted me. It's kind of nice to have a family, even if they're furry."

"What about your own family?" Leia asked cautiously.

"I don't have one." Han's terse response made it clear that the subject was closed. Then, in an unexpectedly gentle tone, he said, "I'm sorry you lost yours."

Leia nearly dropped her kaf. My gods, he was being sincere!

She had no idea how to handle that. "Thank you," was all she could say.

"You might consider getting some sleep," Han said to her. "We've got another ten standard before we land."

"I'm fine, Captain," she said, her voice tensing up.

"Look, you can use my quarters, and I promise that Chewie and I'll leave you alone."

"I'll take the crew quarters," she said firmly.

"Suit yourself," Han said, shrugging, heading for the engineering console. "But the offer stands."

"I really don't feel like sleeping," Leia said shortly. It wasn't that she wasn't tired; she was exhausted. But sleep was not her friend. And she was especially determined to avoid it on this trip. "And I'd really appreciate knowing what you have in mind, especially since I'm involved in it!"

Han turned about from the engineer's chair. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

"I guess you're not going to tell me then," Leia said as she stifled a yawn.

"Not right now, no."

"Fine." She set her kaf mug in the sink and stomped off to the crew quarters.

A smile spread across Han's face as the door snapped shut behind her.

 _Maybe Chewie's right,_ he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 3

The crew quarters were small and utilitarian, but comfortable enough, Leia decided. They were also remarkably tidy, which surprised her. She'd figured Han for a slob, considering how remarkably messy his past was rumored to be, but the ship, despite being a mechanical catastrophe, was well-organized and clean.

Leia contrasted this with her quarters on Yavin, which for whatever reason were always a mess. She'd never had to clean up after herself as a child, and she had no idea how. Despite the very minimal amount of belongings she had, the spartan room was always sloppy. A uniform shirt thrown on the bed, her shabby lingerie on the floor, datapads strewn everywhere.

Looking around the space for environmental controls and not seeing any, she wondered if the lighting was voice activated and decided to experiment.

"Lights, one-quarter," she said, quietly but clearly. Sure enough, a soft glow lit the room. She sat down wearily on one of the bunks. The bedding, she discovered, was worn, but had been of good quality once upon a time. And it had been laundered recently.

The two bunks were narrow, but the one upon which she sat was more comfortable than the cot in her quarters. Leia ran her hand over the blanket neatly rolled at the end of the bed. It was surprisingly soft.

Pulling off her combat boots, which were heavy and uncomfortable, was positively liberating. It was as if a boulder had been lifted from her, if only for a moment.

The exhaustion punched her, hard. The bunk was comfortable enough, and maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a short rest.

 _I won't be able to sleep_ , she told herself as she lay down, but

maybe I can _relax for a few minutes…_

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Han was reading and sipping a kaf, seated in the lounge on the banquette that Leia had vacated several hours earlier. She'd gone to the crew quarters and hadn't emerged since.

She hadn't seemed all that angry with him when she'd headed out of the lounge, he had noted. What she had seemed was worried, anxious and utterly exhausted.

 _You're not supposed to be concerned about her,_ he chided himself _. She can take care of herself, as she's reminded you often_ _enough._

Setting the kaf down, he crept quietly towards the crew quarters, opened the door as silently as possible, and peered in. The lights were dim and he'd only opened the door a slit, but he could tell that she was fast asleep. She looked so damn young and vulnerable he had the urge to sweep her into his arms and tell her things would be fine...

 _Knock it off, Solo! You're on a mission and it's not going to be an easy one! Focus!_

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"We need to wake her up," Han said to Chewie as they drew closer to Kallistas.

{{{She's going to stay on the ship, right}}}? Chewie inquired.

"Yes, but the descent into Kallistas' atmosphere isn't exactly a smooth ride, and she might appreciate some warning," Han explained. That much was true; but there was another reason: he hadn't been able to get the image of her-sleeping like a child—out of his mind. "I'll be right back." He didn't even give Chewie a chance to offer.

As he walked quietly to the crew quarters, Han's heart began to

pound. _What is wrong with me?_ he wondered, silently uttering a slew of Corellian curses at himself.

He slid the door partway open, and looked in on the tiny sleeping figure in the bunk. He really hated to wake her, but it would have been unfair not to.

"Leia," he said softly. "You need to wake up." Han's tone was almost apologetic. She obviously needed the sleep, and she looked so comfortable.

Leia blinked as Han raised the light to one-half. "Wha...?"

"You've been asleep, but we're about to make our descent, and with this planet, it can get wild."

She looked more puzzled than anything else. "How long...did I sleep?"

"You headed back to the crew quarters about nine hours ago. I'd guess you've been out for most of it."

"Nine...hours?"

"If we weren't coming in for a rough landing, I'd have let you sleep longer."

Leia seemed confused. _How did I sleep that long?_ she asked herself. _And how did I...I didn't have any nightmares!_ On her best nights, she usually managed two or three hours at most, only to be rattled by images of things she'd seen and been through.

"Thank you," she said to Han. "Just give me a few minutes."

"No problem. I've got some kaf brewing."

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Han wasn't kidding when he said entering Kallistas' atmosphere was going to be a bumpy ride. Leia had been forced to abandon her second cup of kaf as the planet's turbulent atmosphere jostled the ship about as if it was the toy starship that she'd played with when she was a child.

She hadn't thought about that in years-being young, that is. She was only nineteen years old, almost twenty, and yet she felt so much older, and not in a good way. But the unbroken hours of sleep had helped, and she had to admit that she was more relaxed than she'd been in ages, despite the anticipation of a mission that was likely to be both dangerous and difficult.

And Leia had absolutely no intention of staying on the ship; Han could just deal with it. They were s

upposed to cover each other, after all. Rieekan had said so.

Despite the turbulent entry, Han landed the craft, smooth as shimmersilk. He often boasted of his piloting skills, but the boasts were firmly based in reality.

"May I ask where we are now that we've landed?" she asked Han.

"Kallistas," Han responded as he and Chewie began the shutdown procedures.

"Not exactly friendly to the Alliance," Leia commented, a bit of tension creeping into her voice.

"I don't know who worries me more, the Imps or the pirates," Han admitted. "This place is popular with pirates. I hate 'em."

Leia coolly asked, "How are they different from smugglers?"

"Smugglers don't just take stuff. We're businessmen. Pirates just steal."

"So we're smuggling?"

"Yeah, but first, we have to help ourselves." Han let the paradox of that sentence hang, expecting Leia to launch into a tirade.

Instead, Leia shuddered, then regained her composure. "I'm going with you."

"Leia, this is likely to get nasty," Han explained. "So please stay on the ship."

"I am NOT going to leave you two out there hanging!" Her temper was notching up. "I'm not some delicate little thing that needs protection from everything!"

"I didn't say you were, Princess. I'm saying, we're not likely to meet anyone friendly here," Han said patiently.

"So what do they have here that's worth this kind of risk?" Leia demanded.

Chewie slipped back into the hold to get weapons, tools and other necessities, while Han laid it out for the princess.

"Pretty things," Han explained. "You might be able to appreciate some of them. But it's really better if you stay behind."

"Are you deaf? Did you not hear what I said?" Leia demanded. "I'm going with you!"

Han groaned. "Fine. But if we have trouble, and we probably will, don't say I didn't warn you!" Han loathed the idea of Leia coming along. Not because she'd go dainty on him; he knew she could hold her own and think on her feet. But the idea that something could happen to her was more upsetting to him than he'd expected—or wanted to admit.

Not that he could tell her that. She'd either freeze him to death with a stare so cold its temperature couldn't be measured by normal instruments, or she'd start arguing with him. Not that he minded arguing with her, but they had a job to do and all Han wanted was to get the job done as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Chewie emerged with flashbeams—it was the dead of night—night vision goggles, weapons, and an armful of brown cloth. He handed one to Han and one to Leia.

"What are these?" Leia asked Chewie.

"Disguises," Han explained. They were rough brown cloaks of the sort that Jedis wore.

Leia put hers on, but, as was frequently the case with clothing items of any sort, it didn't even come close to fitting her. The hood fell completely over her face, the arms were nearly twice the length of her own, and there was as much fabric on the floor as there was on her.

"I don't think that's going to work very well for you, Princess," Han commented dryly.

"Don't even start!" Leia warned him.

Chewie studied the situation in front of him. {{{I think I can help with this}}}, he said, disappearing and returning shortly, carrying a hand-stitcher.

He awroorwfed at Han. {{{You need to help me get this right. Fold up the sleeves so she can use her hands}}}.

Leia was about to protest, but realized the futility of trying to hold the fabric in place on her own.

"Just stretch out your arm for me, Princess," he said, politely. He began to fold the fabric in the sleeves so that Chewie could run the stitcher along it. He brushed his hand gently against her arm in doing so, and while neither was about to admit it, a pleasant warmth flowed through both of them.

The arms completed, Han knelt to the ground in order that the garment be hemmed. Again, both found the gentle touching to create more of an effect than would be expected during such a process. And both were somewhat sorry to have it be over so quickly.

"You look a lot better than he does," Han said to Leia, aiming his thumb at Chewie. Chewie's

disguise barely went past his knees.

{{{What do you want! You humans are so short}}}! Chewie harrumphed as they took up their weapons.

"Who're you calling short?" Han demanded as the three exited the _Falcon_.

Leia couldn't help but grin at that remark.


	4. Chapter 4

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 4

The night couldn't have been any blacker if it tried. Even the vast starlit sky didn't produce any useful light. The night vision goggles were definitely a necessity.

"I hope you know where you're going," Leia said very quietly to Han.

Yeah, me too, Han thought, but he was reasonably certain he was near one of the paths that led to an underground repository where finished gems were kept. There were several scattered across the planet, but this particular one kept some of the best quality stones. Which meant that security was heavy and its popularity with pirates was high.

"The only good thing I can say about this place is that they don't have anyone guarding it," Han said quietly. "The bad news is, it's got an energy field surrounding it, along with laser and electronic sensors. So our first move's going to be overriding the alarms." Chewie grabbed the device for sensor readings, Han the one for disabling the alarms.

"I assume you have experience with this," Leia commented, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I do, but we're going to have work carefully with this one; it's going to take a while to get through all the layers. Sometimes I wish it was beings doing the guarding. Because at least you can shoot 'em if they get in your way," Han stage-whispered, expecting Leia to object. He found it just a little bit hot when she didn't.

Leia was about to ask how Han and Chewie planned to override the alarms, but thought better of it. She knew that much of the Falcon's weaponry and defense systems were of military grade—and purchased illegally. She assumed he had other illegal toys on hand for various and sundry tasks, such as breaking into heavily secured repositories for precious gems.

Han and Chewie pulled out devices that Leia recognized as being from the base. Han, anticipating her response, told her softly, "Yeah, I signed them out."

"I didn't say you didn't," Leia said tersely.

"First thing we do, we see if anyone's around," Han said to Leia and Chewie. Chewie began scanning.

"Those sensors are only good for about one klik," Leia reminded him.

"And that's about how far out we are," Han told her. "You didn't think I was going to make you walk

all night, did you?"

"I don't know what you've got in mind," Leia said, mildly annoyed. "It's not like you've filled me in on a lot of details."

Han said to her, with exaggerated patience, "What we're going to do is this: we're going to override the alarm systems, get in, grab some jewels, and get out as fast as we can."

"That's what you've been hiding from me?" Leia asked, slightly incredulous.

"That's pretty much it. The trick is the alarms. And not being caught."

"Jewels are small and easy to hide," Leia pointed out.

"Very true, unless we have company. Chewie, how're you coming there?" Chewie was in charge of the sensors.

{{{A little less conversation and a little more help from you would be nice}}}, Chewie grumbled.

"I'm working, I'm working!" Han hissed at him. Han was handling the signal disabler that would allow them entrance to the repository.

"I'll volunteer to take the jewels," Leia offered.

"I've got three bags. If we run into trouble, we can give one up," Han told her. "But I'm not giving up mine without a fight."

"If we run into trouble, you and Chewie slip yours to me and I'll take care of them," Leia countered.

"Good thinking," Han muttered. "Okay, we've got the energy shield down. Now for the lasers."

The three worked silently, ears on alert for any unwelcome sounds. They could hear the calls of some wildlife, but Chewie assured them that there were no beasts interested in attacking them-yet.

"The only beasts I'm worried about are the kind that like gems," Han whispered fiercely, his fingers working an intricate ballet over the device he was holding. Several minutes passed; no one breathed until Han pronounced that the laser system was now breached.

"How many more layers do we need to get through?" Leia asked.

"We have to move in about another half klik to start undoing the electrical portion," Han informed his team. "So we're walking again. We're going further into the ground, so it's going to be even

darker."

{{{You humans have such weak vision}}}, Chewie taunted softly.

"And weak hearing, and sense of smell. As you've so often pointed out," Han snarked at Chewie. "So make use of those incredible senses, you big furball."

{{{What do you think I'm doing}}}! Chewie awroofed softly, annoyed.

"Keep it down!" Leia whispered.

The three walked softly as possible on the slippery path. It became damper and more treacherous as they went deeper into the ground. Leia was, for once, grateful for the weight of her combat boots. The Jedi robe, despite Chewie's hasty alterations, was still a bit too long for her. The last thing she wanted was to slip. She'd insisted on coming; she wasn't about to do anything to hinder the mission.

And then there was the fact that Han would probably never let her live it down. She knew he'd taunt her forever over that.

"Okay, I think we're good here. Let me check it out," Han said to Leia and Chewie. "Chewie, still nothing weird?"

{{{Depends on what you mean by weird}}}.

"Don't be a smartass," Han snarled.

"He's been hanging around you too long," Leia said quietly, but there were notes of amusement in her voice.

"No, he's always been like this," Han assured her.

{{{We're safe, I'm sure}}}, Chewie, slightly chastened, informed his human companions.

"Thank you," Han murmured, and began to work. Chewie indicated that there was no response from the scanner. "We've got to move in a little closer."

The team paced out about another eight hundred meters. "We've got a signal," Han informed them. "We don't want to get too close or we'll fry ourselves."

"Anything I need to do?" Leia asked.

"Not right now, but when we get to the repository, you've got the toughest job," Han told her.

""What's that?"

"The gems are buried. Oh, and it's real small. You're the best candidate for the job," Han told her.

"How small are we talking about?" Leia inquired.

"Let's just say that Chewie or I would be doing it blind. You're small enough that you can crawl in. You might want to consider tossing the robe while you're in there; it's probably going to get in your way. I hope you're not wearing anything under that robe that you'll be sad to lose. The gems are in boxes, and Chewie and I can only get our arms in. You, on the other hand, are the perfect size."

"I haven't worn good clothes since the awards ceremony," Leia said wearily. She didn't add that she missed nice clothes and, most of all, decent lingerie.

"You looked nice," Han commented.

"Thank you," Leia said simply, genuinely appreciating the compliment. It was strange to hear it, but not unwelcome.

{{{Cut the chatter, guys}}}! Chewie let out a Wookiee hiss. Obediently, the two humans shut their mouths, and Han worked away.

"First layer's out. I'll get the next, and the last one's right up against the door," Han whispered.

"You've been here before, I gather," Leia said very quietly.

"Yeah. I have. Got paid well for it, too." _Better than I'm getting paid this time around_ , Han thought ruefully, but maybe I'll get something better out of it. _Like a cute brunette princess,_ he thought, and couldn't help but smile.

He left out the part where he nearly lost his loot to pirates before he got to his ship, but he figured it would do nothing for morale.

The next layer of security was successfully removed. "Okay, the last layer's on the door itself, but if you get closer than two meters to it before it's disabled, we'll be fried," Han warned them. The three listened to their surroundings; they were well underground. The quiet was eerie, but it was preferable to having a party of gods knew what descend upon them.

"Almost there," Han said, pacing out the distance carefully.

Leia was trying not to think about how claustrophobic the narrow tunnel made her feel. She'd never liked confined spaces, and being in the dark was a bit unsettling. But she kept her head about her, trying to focus on what the riches they were about to steal would fund. Concentrating on outside

matters kept her calm, kept her from having to face things about herself.

"Chewie, flashbeam, low power," Han said to his copilot. A low glow lit the tunnel. Han could see the cover to the circuitry and began disabling it. It was more painstaking than the four previous steps, as it had to be very carefully done; one wrong step and they were likely to be extra crispy.

"Almost…" he murmured. If Han had learned anything in his life, it was to be patient with technology. The _Falcon_ had taught him plenty on that score.

"Okay, let me peel this away, and hope I don't end up looking like a charred nerfsteak," Han muttered, slowly prying off the covering to the circuits. He did the job painstakingly; he'd have preferred to have gone faster, but he knew that mistakes on an expedition such as this could be costly in every way.

"Chewie, can you push the door in?" Han asked the Wookiee. Chewie knelt down, gave the small door a solid push, and it began to move. Finally it gave way, and fell to the floor. "Okay, Chewie, low flashbeam. Leia, the firegems are the most valuable. Sometimes, they have Nova rubies, they're-"

As she shed the cumbersome robe, Leia gave a small smile, invisible in the dark. "I do know my jewels, Captain. I'm a princess, remember?"

Han had somehow managed to forget that. "Right," he bluffed. He handed her a small duraweave satchel. "Here's the first one."

After getting down on the ground, Leia fit perfectly through the small doorway. She immediately found a box of firegems. They weren't top of the line, but they were still likely to fetch a good price. She filled the first satchel with them and handed it to Han, who hid it in his robe.

"A little more light, please," Leia asked requested softly. Chewie increased the flashbeam power, and she was better able to see. There was indeed a box of Nova rubies. She filled the second satchel Han had handed her.

"They've got more firegems and sapphires. Which do you want?" Leia asked, opening both boxes.

"How do the firegems look?" Han asked.

"They're about the same as the first, not Tandgorian."

"Go for the sapphires. Some variety's always nice."

To Leia, the sapphires looked to be of good quality, and she filled the third satchel, which Han passed to Chewie.

"I think we're done here," Han said. "I don't think we took so much that they'd notice...right away."

{{{Let's get out of here}}}, Chewie awroowred.

"I'm all for that," Han said, as he pulled the door back into position and began to replace the housing. Fortunately, putting it back was faster than removing it. As soon as it was in place, the team stepped back and reset the door alarm.

"I think we're good with that one," Han announced. "One down, four to go. Walk carefully; we need to hit the right locations." The three trod.carefully, counting out their steps. The ground was heavy with moisture and slick, which seemed to have gotten worse since they arrived.

After walking a half klik, Chewie indicated that they were in the correct spot to set the next alarms. Han worked furiously to reset them. The mission had gone easily, and when things seemed to easy, his instincts told him their good luck couldn't last. But, he took good luck where he could; it was something of a rare commodity these days.

Something else was on his mind. "Princess," he said, very softly.

"Yes?" she asked mildly.

"You've been invaluable on this mission. Maybe I was wrong."

Leia was about to burst out with _What?! Han Solo admits he might be wrong?!,_ but instead, she simply said, "Thank you." She could hassle him about it later. It might be fun.

The walk back somehow seemed longer than the one they'd taken to the repository; Han and Chewie were both extremely tired, having stayed awake while Leia had rested. Neither grudged her her much-needed sleep, but were looking forward to some of their own once they'd launched into hyperspace.

They were nearing the spot where they could lay down the second layer of security when they heard a flurry of footsteps and voices.

"Oh, kriff!" Han breathed.


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 5

{{{This isn't good}}}, Chewie mewled softly.

"No kidding!" Han hissed. The three leaned back into the walls of the tunnel, hoping they were invisible. Han and Leia had their hands on their blasters; Han's fingers twitched. They held their collective breath, hoping the voices would retreat, not approach.

Unfortunately, that wish was rapidly dashed. Unlike the trio, this group was larger and noisier.

"Pirates. Just what we needed," Han groaned softly.

"Not friends of yours?" Leia whispered.

"I told you, I hate pirates."

"We use them sometimes," Leia remarked.

{{{Shut up!}}} barked Chewie softly.

The three listened to what appeared to be several voices, laughing and talking brazenly.

"Ol' Cracken's in for a surprise," one remarked, and was rewarded with scornful chuckles from his companions.

"Yeah, imagine us, taking that pittance they offered us so we'd turn over the jewels!" was another.There was plenty of laughter over that one.

"And look! Somebody left the door open! Makes our job easier!"

"They better not have taken it all or they're dead!"

"I know these guys," Han whispered harshly. "And they're bad news. Be ready."

"I thought you said you hated pirates!" Leia stage-whispered back fiercely.

"I do! Just because I know 'em doesn't mean I like 'em!" Han shot back.

"And I hate pirates that rip off the Alliance!" Leia retorted angrily.

"The Rebellion?" Han was genuinely puzzled.

"Cracken's a general! He hired these guys!" Leia snapped.

The footsteps, chatter, and laughter drew closer.

Then the lights appeared. There was no caution in this group whatsoever.

"You see anyone, you kill 'em!" The apparent leader instructed.

More flashbeams burned on to the sides of the tunnel, and illuminated the three.

The leader uttered an ugly chuckle. "Well, well, now, what have we here?" He walked up to Han Solo, running a knife near Han's chin.

"Nice seeing you again, Frack," Han growled at the pirate.

Chewie stood at the ready, bowcaster poised.

"Well, well, well, if it hasn't Han Solo, scumbag of the galaxy!" chortled Frack, running the edge of a blade along Han's chin.

"You should know from scumbags, Frack, seeing as you're their king," Han shot back, keeping his voice level while quietly positioning his blaster.

Chewie fired into Frack, the bolt from the bowcaster ripping right through him and knocking him to the ground. From that point on, total mayhem ensued, shots from blasters and swinging knives everywhere, bodies flying to the ground, some of them recovering, only to be brought down again. Leia channeled her fury into making sure that none of the bastards would ever have the chance to betray the Rebellion again.

"What the-" another of the pirates shouted, and fusillades of blaster fire from both sides screamed through the night, Han and Leia firing theirs furiously and the pirates taunting them back with even more firepower. There were, so far as Han could tell, eight pirates against the three of them, but Han had never been one to believe the odds in any situation. It had often helped him win at sabacc and kept him alive more times than he wanted to think about. He just hoped this wasn't the time for the famous Solo Luck to run out. The last thing he wanted to happen was for his team to go down, and while he was at it, he didn't mind staying alive himself.

Chewie didn't stay back in position; he jumped into the fray, alternating firing his bowcaster with trying to rip people's arms out of their sockets. His angry yowls rang out ferociously, and a couple of the more sensible pirates attempted to run, but between Han, Leia and Chewie firing, they managed to get them on the ground. Meanwhile, blaster fire was barely missing Han and Leia; Han really did wish she'd stayed on the ship. If anything happened to her...

 _Focus, you idiot! You're all gonna get killed if you don't!_ Han reminded himself, firing away at the five remaining pirates. In the back of his mind, he knew that he'd sacrifice himself for Leia and Chewie if he had to. He just wasn't in the mood to do it right now.

Chewie rapidly reloaded his bowcaster, aiming dead at the pirates, and Leia and Han pounded them with blaster fire. After what seemed to be an eternity, all of them were on the ground.

In the confusion, what neither Han nor Leia saw was that one of the last pirates standing had lunged at Chewie with a large knife. Chewie howled, but he'd been howling throughout the entire fight, along with pirates screaming and Han cursing in every language he knew.

No one had any idea how long the fight had lasted for, but finally, every last pirate was on the ground. They were pools of red draining into the already-slippery ground.

"You think they're all dead?" Leia whispered harshly.

"They look like it, and that's good enough for now, but let's get going!"

"We have to reset the alarm system!" Leia told him.

"They can take the blame! Let's move!"

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The three hustled back toward the ship as quickly as possible on the slippery ground, which was considerably easier once they'd gotten past the fallen bodies. Finally, they emerged from the underground tunnel. From where they were, they could see a ship, presumably the one their competitors had arrived in.

And it was being checked out by several stormtroopers.

"Kriff!" Leia cursed at seeing them.

"We're going to have to take the long way back to the ship," Han snarled quietly.

Chewie was oddly silent. It worried both Han and Leia, but he was keeping pace with them.

The terrain Han led them over was covered in tall grass, and surprisingly rocky. Han and Leia's feet, clad in combat-grade boots, and Chewie's tough foot pads, were good protection against the rough terrain, but that didn't mean they wouldn't have sore feet afterward. However, aching feet were the least of their worries right now. They prayed to any deities that might be listening that the _Falcon_ was still safe and had no unwanted visitors.

And both were worried about Chewie. It wasn't like him to not even awrrooow softly.

The Wookiee's silence was disquieting to Leia. "Chewie, are you all right?" she whispered harshly.

{{{I'm fine, Princess}}}, the Wookiee lied.

"How much further?" Leia asked Han, her breath coming in harsh bursts. They'd been running for some time now.

"About half a klik." Han, too, was gasping. They'd been running for nearly two kliks, by his calculations. Two long, miserable ones. And they were doing it in the dark. He was blessed with a great sense of direction; he hoped it hadn't failed him now.

Finally, as they entered the forest, there was just the barest glint of durasteel in the distance.

"Almost there," Han chuffed. "Be ready in case we have company."

The last run to the ship was the longest. All three were out of breath, battered, and exhausted. Han had felt relief opening the gangway many times before, but this was one time he could have kissed it as it carried its passengers into the ship.

It was then they noticed why Chewie was so quiet. He was profusely bleeding from one hairy arm.

"Ah, Chewie, damn, what the hells happened?" Han asked his dearest friend.

{{{I got stabbed}}}, Chewie mewled.

"Get us out of here, and I'll take care of Chewie!" Leia told Han. He headed for the cockpit, while Leia helped support the shaking Wookiee to the small med bay.

"Chewie, I'm so sorry," Leia said quietly to him.

{{{It happens}}}, Chewie shrugged with his good arm.

"Let's get you fixed up. Do you think you can make it to the med bay?"

{{{It's not that far. It's not a big ship}}}.

It would have been comical in any other circumstance to see the tiny woman supporting the huge Wookiee, but it was clear Chewie had lost a lot of blood. Leia helped him into the med bunk, provided him with some O2 and instructed him to keep pressure on the wound while she got supplies.

Leia went to the intercom. "Han, do you keep any plasma on hand for Chewie?" The ship was already in motion, and talking to Han during ascent wasn't the best time, but she needed to know.

"Some in the chiller back there. Not very much, though. How's he doing?" There was no mistaking the concern in Han's voice.

"I think he'll be all right if we can stop the bleeding. Thanks." Leia signed off, supplies in hand. She applied a bacta spray, which caused Chewie to howl, albeit weakly.

"I know, it stings," she said softly, opening the suture tray. "I'm going to put some topical on now so the sutures don't hurt so much."

{{{You are very gentle}}}, Chewie mewled to her.

Leia worked quickly and deftly. She'd stitched up soldiers before and was grateful that her father had made her study the basics of field medicine. Unfortunately, it hadn't been enough to save some, but there was no way Chewie was not going to recover.

"You'll be fine, Chewie," she reassured him.

{{{Of course I will be}}}, Chewie awrroowed. {{{I have to take care of the cub}}}.

Leia had some problems finding a vein for the plasma; Wookiee blood vessels were deeper under the surface of the skin than human veins were; that Chewie was bleeding was proof that it had been a large knife that had gone very deep. But she did find one, and Chewie was patient while she managed to start a line.

{{{I have to be fine. I have to take care of my cub}}}, Chewie told her softly.

"Well, somebody needs to look after him," Leia conceded, laughing softly.

{{{Yes.}}} Chewie's eyes were beginning to close.

Leia patted the Wookiee gently on the shoulder. "Rest now. I'll be back soon to check on you."

{{{Thank you, Princess. Keep the cub out of trouble}}}.

Leia chuckled. "Is that even possible?"

{{{It's a tough job, but someone has to do it}}}.

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Leia joined Han in the cockpit, seating herself in what was Chewie's chair.

"How's he doing?" Leia noticed the worry lines creasing Han's brow.

"He lost a lot of blood, but I think he'll be all right. I was able to get the bleeding stopped, and I sutured the wound, put plenty of bacta on it. He really was cut deeply," Leia reported. "He needs to rest."

Han's features relaxed somewhat. "Wookiees are pretty hardy. But it must've been a hells of a time stitching him back up. Wookiee skin's pretty tough."

"Try finding a vein," Leia said. "I must have stuck him about five times before finding one. He was very nice about it."

"He must like you. Anyone else and he'd rip their arm out of their socket," Han commented, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"He also said I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble." Leia grinned mischievously.

Han rolled his eyes. "He would say that. Sometimes he's a royal pain in the ass."

"He probably thinks the same about you."

"Apparently that's a common sentiment." But then Han flashed her a boyish grin.

 _Why does he always have to make things so difficult?_ Leia grumbled to herself. Much as she hated to admit it to herself, he did have a nice smile.

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me where we're headed next," Leia said to him dryly.

"We're going to Atzerri," Han told her.

"Atzerri? That place is a horror show!" Leia hadn't been there, but she'd heard stories.

Han grinned at her again. "My kind of place."


	6. Chapter 6

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 6

Han made the jump to lightspeed, then both he and Leia headed back to see Chewie.

The giant Wookiee barely fit in the small med bunk; his arms flopped over the sides and his feet hung past the end. It would have been comical if the two humans weren't so worried about his injury.

However, Chewie's sharp ears were as functional as ever, and his blue eyes were open when they approached.

"How're you feeling, pal?" Han asked, stroking the top of the Wookiee's head.

{{{I'm okay}}}, Chewie arroowred. {{{I'll be back on duty in a few minutes}}}.

"Don't think so, pal," Han informed him sternly. "You need some rest."

Leia checked his arm. "It does look better, but you lost a lot of blood, Chewie. Please rest for a while." Noticing that the plasma bag had been drained, she gently removed the line from Chewie's arm. "Can you breathe all right?"

{{{I'm fine}}}! he barked.

"Listen, you giant fuzzball, I'm still the captain, and you have to rest. That's an order," Han informed his first mate severely, but not without affection in his voice.

{{{Then I want to rest in my hammock}}} he mewled petulantly. {{{This bunk isn't comfortable}}}.

"I think that's okay, Chewie," Leia told him, a fond smile lifting the corners of her mouth. "Let me take the O2 mask off you. But if you have trouble breathing, you'll have to come back for more." Han removed the mask from his friend. Chewie began to rise; he was still shaky, and Leia and Han flanked him, walking him slowly towards his quarters, where they helped him-slowly-into the large hammock. Chewie, exhausted from the ordeal, closed his eyes as soon as he was situated properly.

"No getting up!" Han warned him, but Chewie had already fallen asleep.

"I don't think that's going to be a problem," Leia said softly as they proceeded to the lounge. "And

speaking of sleep, Flyboy, you need some."

"I'll be okay," Han said, yawning heavily. "I do this all the time. I'll take a nap shortly. But not too long; the Imps hang out around Atzerri like everyone else."

"What's our strategy once we're planetside?" Leia asked him.

"We cash in the gems. Don't worry, I know some guys there. We just have to avoid the Imps and the Hutts."

"That's not going to be easy," Leia pointed out.

"Atzerri's got one thing going for it, everything's for sale," Han pointed out. "Since everyone's there to do business, we'll blend in. Do you know if your dad had accounts there?"

"No, he didn't," Leia said regretfully.

"That's too bad," he said with a shrug. "After we cash in the gems, we'll go shopping," Han continued. "As I said, everything's for sale there, and nobody asks too many questions. The place is corrupt as hells, and that works to our advantage."

"We need so many things," Leia sighed. "It's all in my datapad."

"Don't worry. We'll get them," Han told her, yawning again.

"Flyboy, you need sleep," Leia said firmly.

"I could use a little," Han conceded. "Wake me up if we have any unwanted guests," Han looked at her. "You'll be all right?"

"I'll be fine. I would, however, like to use the portable valet for my clothes."

"Why, Princess? You do laundry?" Han raised an eyebrow.

"I do what needs doing," Leia said severely. "Now go! Sleep!"

"Yes, Your Highnessness." Han made an elaborate bow before heading off to the captain's quarters.

 _Impossible man,_ Leia grumbled to herself.

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Han looked at the bunk, which at the moment was extremely inviting. The thing he wanted most in it, however, was not.

He imagined Leia in the bunk, curled up on his chest, their skin pressed against each other, her hair out of her practical braids and flowing all over him. He longed to kiss her everywhere, explore every inch of her tiny body, learn where she loved being touched most…

 _Stop it, you're torturing yourself!_ Han admonished himself. _Besides, you're damn tired and you know it._

He fell into bed, wishing that he was falling into Leia's arms as well, and fell into a sound sleep, dreaming of the woman he feared he was falling in love with.

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Not much piloting was needed while at traveling past lightspeed, but Leia sat in the cockpit, anyway. For some reason, she felt more secure there, although it was strange to not be in the passenger seat, listening to Han and Chewie going back and forth.

She took her datapad containing the Alliance's 'shopping list.' Fighters, parts, generators, uniforms, food, beverages, the list seemed to go on forever. Suddenly the wealth they'd swiped on Kallistas, now stashed in one of the safes on board, seemed small. She was going to have to get to some of the accounts her father had placed throughout the galaxy. That meant talking to Han about making more stops, which they'd have to make, anyway, in order to obtain all that was needed. She was skeptical that they could find everything on Atzerri, and even more that they could afford all of it.

Leia thought about her parents and how much she missed them. She could hear her mother's voice, softly telling her that she was an exceptional young woman and that she was very proud of her and how much she was going to miss her. When Breha Organa had said that to her, Leia had had no idea that it would be the last time she would ever hear her mother speak to her again and run her soft hand against Leia's cheek. Without even realizing it, tears began to fall silently down Leia's face.

She was heartsick about the loss of family and friends, and even worse, she was so...confused. Her mind was running amok at a time when she needed a clear head.

Her greatest source of confusion was the smuggler who was now asleep in the captain's quarters.

He irritated her no end. He'd call her the names that drove her crazy-Your Worship, Your

Highnessness, Your Worshipfulness, Your Princessness-and they aggravated her no end. She wanted to smack him when he called her those.

But when he used her given name, he said it with respect, even tenderness. That almost drove her more insane than being teased about her title. Because in using it, he aroused feelings in her that she needed to push away.

Leia had met more than her share of handsome men in her time, but there was something about Han's diamond-in-the-rough looks that appealed to her. He wasn't a pretty boy, but those green and gold eyes seemed to indicate that there was more to the man than what was on the surface.

The Rebellion paid him for his services. But he rarely kept more than what he needed to keep the _Falcon_ flying-admittedly, that was a fair bit. Still, what was leftover, he shared with the troops, whether it was real kaf, good ale, or fresh fruit, depending upon what he could get his hands on-and negotiate a decent price for. He had decent food aboard the _Falcon_ , but it could hardly have been called extravagant.

And he clearly had military training. Whether he wanted to admit to it or not, no one learned to shoot, fly and think strategically the way he did without having had that kind of learning. Granted, trying to picture Han as an officer was a bit of a stretch. She couldn't picture him being willing to take orders from anyone, including senior officers. It might be why he refused a commission. She knew that he respected Rieekan and Ackbar and to a lesser extent, Madine, but he made no secret of his loathing for Dodonna and Mon Mothma.

Han was not the sort to keep his opinions to himself. And apparently he thought highly of his opinions. Sometimes she wished he'd keep them to himself, but that was about as likely as gravity developing in deep space.

In the midst of her musings, it dawned on her that, in fact, her father did keep an account on Atzerri. She hoped the bank still existed and that it hadn't fallen to the Imperials. Atzerri was the Mos Eisley of the Inner Rim. Leia had never been there, but she knew its reputation. It was considered to be one of the shopping capitals of the galaxy, for legal goods as well as those of a more questionable pedigree.

How long had it been since she'd been shopping for anything other than hardware and supplies? Leia couldn't even remember.

Thinking about shopping made Leia realize that she was sweaty, dirty, and just plain tired. She longed to get out of her uniform and put on something from her duffel. Han had told her that she was welcome to use the hot water shower, and right now, it sounded wonderful, even if the shower was narrow and utilitarian, as opposed to the Durosian marble one she'd used at home. She blinked rapidly; she didn't want to think about that. But, just the idea of clean hair and skin was enough to get her out of her mood, and move her from the cockpit to the 'fresher.

First, she went to check on Chewie. He was snoring as he normally did, and his breathing didn't sound labored. That was a good sign. His dressing would need changing, but she'd wait till he woke up. The last thing she wanted to do was wake him; the rest would help him heal faster.

Satisfied that Chewie was recovering adequately, Leia headed down the passageway to the 'fresher.

She halted as she stepped in front of the door to the captain's quarters.

 _What does he look like when he's sleeping?_ she wondered to herself.

 _And why do you care?_ her other voice, the practical voice in her head, retorted.

Curiosity seemed to get the better of her, though, and she slid the door open quietly and slowly, just a few centimeters, and peered in.

The quarters were dark but the dim light in the passageway provided her with enough visibility to catch a glimpse. Han's boots were tossed on the floor, but otherwise it appeared that he had fallen right into bed, fully clothed. He snored lightly, sprawled out on the bed, tangled in the blanket. It struck her that Han was one of the few people on base who never seemed to complain about being tired, and yet, he did as much work as some, and more than most. Leia guessed that Han was no stranger to hard work and penury.

Had she been hoping to catch some bare flesh? Leia cringed; she didn't want to think about that. But she couldn't help but wonder what he looked like under his clothing. He was a fairly slender man, but very strong; he could do serious heavy lifting, no matter what it was. It was likely he was muscular as well. His low cut shirts showed feathery chest hair and his shoulders filled them out nicely…

 _Stop it already!_ Leia admonished herself sharply. _You can't do this! You're trying to help run a revolution here!_

She gently slid the door shut and headed for the 'fresher.

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Water showers were a very rare treat for her these days; the Rebel bases only had sonic showers, and Leia was relishing every moment under the one in the _Falcon's_ 'fresher. The water was hot, and she felt her nerves and muscles losing their knots as it pounded down on her. Though she knew it was recycled, Leia didn't want to waste the water; Han might well want to shower, too, when he woke up. However, she luxuriated in washing her hair with real shampoo, in real water. There was a container of liquid soap that was simply clean smelling, which she knew must be Han's. To her surprise, there was also a small bottle of cleanser with a scent reminiscent of Cezith water-lily. It was feminine but not overpoweringly so, and she breathed it in with relish. A tiny part of her mind wondered why Han had a bottle of what was obviously a woman's soap in his shower—but it didn't stop her from using it. It had been a long time since she'd used something so luxurious.

Finally, clean, fragrant and much more relaxed than she'd been, she exited the shower, only to discover that she'd failed to bring her clothes with her. They were back in the crew quarters. But there was a large, soft robe hanging from a hook near the door. She hoped Han wouldn't mind if she used it.

After toweling herself off-she didn't want to leave the robe damp-she snuggled into the soft fabric. It smelled of Han. Clean, masculine, and bizarrely comforting. Of course, it was huge on her, and hung over her feet, but she liked the feel of it.

 _Stop it!_ She ordered herself. _Enough already! Stop thinking about him!_

If only it were that easy, she sighed.


	7. Chapter 7

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 7

Still ensconced in Han's robe, Leia made her way back to the crew quarters. She hadn't packed a lot—she didn't travel like she did in her senatorial days—but she'd always had internal debates on what to wear. It was very possibly the only area of decision-making that gave Leia trouble. The Alliance uniform generally solved that problem, but the last thing she wanted to wear on Atzerri was her uniform—she might as well paint a target on her back.

She'd brought a pair of gemweb pants in black, which were incredibly comfortable, and a slim-fitting but comfortable tunic in a pale lavender aeien silk with just a ribbon of lace around the bottom and the ends of the sleeves. It was the only non-uniform outfit she had, other than a regulation issue sleep shirt, and that was already grey and tatty. The only reason she even had the outfit was because on her last birthday—which she had shared with Carlist's late wife, Elyanna-was because the general had given her a gift chit and had been adamant that she buy something nice for herself. Other than that, her wardrobe, outside of her uniforms, was nonexistent, save for her hooded jacket. It was Rebel-issued but without insignia. Grey, naturally.

She'd lost the rest of her clothing when she'd been captured on the _Tantive_ _IV_. That, and a lot more. Right now, she didn't want to think about that. She still had nightmares about it; not that anyone knew. She'd never let anyone know, especially a certain smuggler who was the the pilot of this miserable craft.

How had she managed to get nine hours of peaceful sleep on this old bucket of bolts? Leia had no idea. Maybe she'd finally been so tired that she just collapsed. Was it possible that she felt more secure here? She decided she didn't know—and she didn't want to think about it.

Slipping into the comfortable garments, Leia felt revitalized. Getting the gems had been harrowing, but a hot water shower and clean, civilian clothes made it all feel far away. Knocking off the group of pirates hadn't bothered her, especially since the pirates weren't going to follow through with their promise to an Alliance general. She'd have to get a message regarding that to the powers that be, but at the moment, she was just enjoying feeling human and at ease.

Leia decided she'd simply tie her hair back; the utilitarian braids she normally wore not only were annoying at times, but were readily recognizable. She'd skip them; she wanted to look like an ordinary tourist when they reached Atzerri. Blending in seemed to be a sensible strategy. She didn't have a hair ribbon, but she did have a simple clip, and that did the trick. No makeup, she decided.

She returned to the cockpit and was surprised to find Chewie awake, looking well, and occupying the co-pilot's chair. She sat down in Han's chair.

"How're you feeling, Chewie?" she asked him.

{Well, thank you, Princess. Wookiees heal very quickly}. He gave her a smile. {Thanks for taking care of me}.

"It was nothing, Chewie. I'm just glad you're all right." She looked at what had been his injured arm; the gash was nothing more than a small scratch at this point. "How long before we come out of lightspeed?" she asked him.

{About one and a half standard}, Chewie told her. {The cub should wake up. He needs a shower}. Chewie wrinkled his nose in distaste. {I can smell him from here}.

"Well, we did get a little grubby last night," Leia admitted, chuckling. "I hope I'm not offending you in that way."

{No, you smell lovely, Princess}.

"Thank you," Leia said to the Wookiee. She pulled out her datapads to go over the Alliance 'shopping list.' "I remembered that my father did place an account in a bank on Atzerri. I only hope the bank still exists or hasn't been taken over by the Empire."

{Not likely on Atzerri. That place is a free-for-all. You'll see}. Chewie gave a soft laugh.

"You've been there before, I gather."

{A few times. It's tacky and noisy and crowded. But it is the best place to get materiel and supplies if you don't want them traced}.

"Well, not having it traced is a very good thing," Leia agreed. "Even if I do have to wade through a few tourists."

Chewie laughed raucously. {You won't see a few tourists. You'll see hundreds of thousands. All trying to get the best deal on everything. It's crazy there}.

"Disappearing into crowds isn't the worst thing if you're going to go on an illegal shopping adventure," Leia calculated.

{I think that's the cub's strategy. I have to wake him up! I can't stand the smell!}

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Han hoped he was dreaming about the pounding on his door. However, that wish evaporated when he heard loud yells in Shyriiwook and the hammering continued.

{We're out of lightspeed in an hour and a half}! Chewie hollered.

"Oh, shut up," Han muttered groggily. He closed his eyes again. There was no way they could only be one point five standard hours out. He hadn't slept long enough, of that he was certain.

{Get up!} Chewie's yowls became more adamant. {You smell worse than a Bantha!}

Han dragged his very tired body from the bed and slid open the door partway. "So that's what this is all about!" His eyes were only half open and his expression indicated that he was anything but pleased about the interruption.

{We really are only one and a half standard out. And you need to do something about yourself! Why couldn't you have taken a shower before you went to sleep? You know how sensitive my nose is!}

"Don't go all dainty on me!" Han snapped. "I was tired, okay! And you were out of it!"

{Well, I'm healed up now!}

"Glad to hear it!" Unfortunately, Han couldn't really argue with the Wookiee; he was a mess, and he knew he smelled awful. And he was grateful that his friend was well. Still, Chewie could be really annoying when he wanted to be—and it seemed like he wanted to be annoying quite a bit.

{The Princess looks pretty. For a human,} Chewie chuckled.

"You're really working my last nerve, you know!" Han slammed the door shut and began the task of heading for the shower.

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Leia retreated to the galley and put on some kaf. Han had told her to make herself at home; she assumed that meant she could prepare kaf, which was about the extent of her culinary skills. Soon, the aroma from the brewing beverage filled the galley, and she made notes while it bubbled away.

She could hear the water rushing in the shower as Han cleaned up, when she suddenly realized that she'd failed to return the robe to its proper location.

She couldn't exactly sneak into the 'fresher and hang it up; she'd never hear the end of Han teasing her about trying to see him naked and wet. _Which I'm not,_ she reminded herself severely. Since she couldn't think of any way to get the robe back to him before he actually needed it that wouldn't be awkward or embarrassing, she could only hope he didn't parade through the ship _sans_ clothing.

The kaf finished brewing. Leia sat on the the tattered banquette and happily drank the aromatic

brew. This was the closest she'd been to content in a long time. Which was utterly ironic; the mission they were on was dangerous-last night had illustrated that well. But she felt calmer than she normally did. And good kaf didn't hurt.

The shower was now off-Leia hoped Han wouldn't be too upset that she'd forgotten to replace his robe. She was genuinely embarrassed at her oversight.

A few moments later, Han emerged, his lower half covered with a towel, as he headed toward the captain's quarters.

Leia quickly swallowed a gasp, and nearly dropped her mug. _Oh my gods, he's gorgeous,_ she found herself thinking, as a blush spread across the upper part of her body. In the short glimpse she'd had of him, she'd noticed that he possessed very broad shoulders, slender but muscular arms, and the most beautiful chest she'd ever seen on a male. To add to the effect, his wet hair stuck out in all directions, which on Han looked oddly appealing. And he smelled masculine and very clean; it was almost intoxicating.

Her stomach fluttered in an unfamiliar but not unpleasant manner.

Han vanished into the captain's quarters, apparently oblivious to the fact that he was being watched. When he emerged a few minutes later, his shirt was unbuttoned and his feet were still bare, and the gunbelt and blaster hadn't yet been put in their rightful place. His hair remained damp and unbrushed. He smiled at Leia.

"Good morning, your Worship," he said, flashing her his best lopsided grin. He walked over to the kaf maker and poured himself a mug. "Thanks for making the kaf. Smells great."

Leia was blushing furiously. "I...I borrowed your robe. I forgot to put it back when I was done."

"No worries, Princess. I seem to have survived," Han commented, gulping down the kaf as he leaned casually against the small galley counter. "You're welcome to use it anytime. I'd like to see you in it." Her embarrassment was rapidly being replaced by irritation.

And then he winked at her.

 _Just like at the awards ceremony,_ she recalled. And she remembered that she'd rather liked it. She needed to stop distracting herself, Leia thought, even as she tried not to stare at Han's chest—or at least not be too obvious about it. They were about to embark on the next part of the mission, and it was not going to be any less dangerous than the first part.

What she hadn't initially noticed that the captain of the ship was looking considerably scruffier than usual. He'd failed to shave. She soon discovered why-he had a good scrape on his chin.

"I didn't realize you'd gotten hurt last night. I was so busy with Chewie," Leia said to him.

Han waved his hand dismissively. "It's just a scratch. But I'm going to avoid razors for a couple days."

"What's our plan?" Leia asked, trying to appear as businesslike as possible, all the while feeling like a moonstruck teenager.

"Well, first we land," Han said.

"That's fairly obvious," Leia remarked dryly.

Han raised one mocking brow. "It shouldn't be a problem getting clearance. Atzerri lets anyone land so long as they've got credits in their pockets when they come."

"And none left when they leave," Leia finished.

"Well, we certainly won't have any," Han mused.

"I know I told you last night I didn't know of any bank accounts on Atzerri, but I remembered my father did have one there," Leia mentioned. "I only hope the bank still exists, and that we don't attract the attention of the Imperials."

"I hope the Hutts haven't taken it over," Han grumbled. "I know they're not a problem for you, but they're a sword hanging over my neck. I kind of like my neck."

"It keeps your head attached, although there are moments when I wonder what the point of that is," Leia said dryly, but she smiled a little, which softened the barb. "I was thinking we'd act like tourists at first, you know, wander the shopping plazas, things like that."

"That's what I thought, too," Han commented. "Great minds think alike. And it'll make us less obvious when we head off to the seamier parts of town. We can make our way gradually. But not too gradually." He looked up at Leia. "By the way, you look nice. Natural."

Leia felt herself blush again. The compliment was genuine. "Thank you," she said quietly. Then she returned to business. "The seamier parts of town, huh. The Alliance seems to be doing a lot of that these days."

"Hey, if they could go to legitimate sources, they would. But they can't," Han said. "That's where I come in."

"Do you know anyone on Atzerri?" Leia asked.

"I know someone almost everywhere," Han said evasively. "Some of them like me better than others."

"And on Atzerri?" Leia was trying not to become worried.

"I have a friend there, and he can put me in touch with others, but I'm not sure how friendly they'll be. So we better still carry blasters." Han caught the nervous look on the princess's face. "Don't worry, everyone carries weapons on Atzerri. Open carry's practically a mandate."

"That's heartwarming," Leia commented wryly. "But we're less obvious that way, at least."

Han poured another cup of kaf but remained standing. "Just be careful in Traders' Plaza. That place is wild."

"More dangerous than the backstreets?" Leia asked skeptically.

"Packed to the seams with tourists and merchants. You haven't seen bloody till you've seen a negotiation for a firegem ring gone bad." He finished the kaf in three gulps, and headed off to the captain's quarters, presumably to tame his hair and put his boots on.

Han, now buttoned, booted and belted, and Leia returned to the cockpit to join Chewie as the engineering console chimed that they needed to come out of lightspeed, and they took their respective places. Leia took a deep breath. The first part of the mission hadn't gone nearly as smoothly as she would have liked. She hoped this one would go better.

She wished she didn't have a bad feeling about this.


	8. Chapter 8

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 8

The _Falcon_ was waiting in a seemingly endless queue of traffic, which, in turn, was doing nothing for Leia's nerves.

"There were some lambda shuttles ahead of us," she pointed out to Han.

"Do you see them patrolling?" Han asked her with exaggerated patience.

"Well, no, but-"

"They're not here to attack us. They're here to shop," Han pointed out. "Everyone shops here. Even Imps have to buy stuff."

"And they don't have to hit the black market for it," Leia sighed unhappily. Even though there were no patrols in sight, the princess was still uncomfortable. She worried that Han was being too casual about the potential dangers.

"They do for some things," Han countered.

"You _are_ watching for patrols, aren't you?" Leia's irritated tone was meant to mask her anxiety.

Han bristled and turned to her. "Listen, Your Worship, I'm a smuggler, in case you don't remember! I stay alive by keeping my eyes open!" He shook his head in disgust. What was wrong with her? Didn't she realize that he took nothing for granted?

Leia's response was to head for the galley. There was a little bit of kaf left, and she decided it wasn't going to go to waste. If they were going to have to wait in a traffic jam, she was going to pass the time as pleasantly as possible, and that did not include arguing with a cocky smuggler. How could he possibly be so calm? Granted, she hadn't seen any patrols, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't jump out and surprise them.

Han groaned as she headed off from the cockpit, saying something under his breath about difficult women.

{She's just tense,} Chewie assured him.

Han shrugged. Women were still largely a mystery to him, especially the tiny princess. She'd been pleasant and even fun until they came out of hyperspace. Now she was twitchier than a vro-cat being held over a tub of water.

She made things so damn difficult sometimes.

Leia returned, kaf mug in hand, and sulked silently. Han didn't feel like baiting her. He hated traffic, especially when they had a lot to get done. Even Chewie stayed quiet, and that was highly unusual.

"How long do you think this is going to take?" Leia asked, trying to keep her tone level.

Han shrugged. "As long as it takes. I'm not a fan of this myself, Your Worshipfulness. I'd just as soon land, buy a few things, get down to business."

"I just hope we're not spotted," Leia remarked, sipping her kaf. "I didn't think the Imperials were supposed to use official vehicles for personal business."

"They're not. But they do. Only the vrelts on top get paid well, especially if they take bribes," Han remarked tartly. "It's not as if soldiers have a lot of disposable income."

"You sound like you know something about that," Leia said, her tone both accusing and curious.

"More than you know, Princessness," he muttered crossly. He had no intention of sharing his military background with her. That he kept to himself.

Of course, even though he'd never admitted it, Leia was pretty certain he'd had military experience. No one could shoot or pilot the way Han did without some serious training. Granted, he had a healthy amount of natural ability that helped, but one didn't have the kind of accuracy-or obsessiveness about weapons and ships-unless they'd been through that.

"See, there are patrols out there!" Leia pointed out irritably, spotting some light corvettes cruising by the traffic queue.

"They're just making sure nobody jumps the line or blows anyone up in case there's only one of something," Han grumbled. "They don't care about us."

Leia was not placated. The _Falcon_ had acquired some notoriety in recent history. "They could start shooting at us." Han's cavalier response didn't make her feel particularly at ease.

"They're not going to!" Han barked. With the long wait, both Han and Chewie's patience was becoming more and more frayed.

In the meantime, Leia continued to memorize the list. There was a definite security risk in carrying the datapad with her planetside.

"Do you think you can help me by memorizing some of these part numbers?" she asked Han harshly. The wait was getting to her, too. "I can't take this thing with me!" She stuck the datapad

under his nose. "You might as well make yourself useful."

"Whatever you say, Your Worshipfulness!" he snapped back. Grudgingly, he took the datapad from her.

After what seemed like hours, but was actually less than fifteen standard minutes, they were granted permission to land. All three let out a sigh of relief, and hoped that the rest of the day would go more smoothly than the beginning had.

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Any hopes that the trio had had for an easy shopping day were immediately dashed upon departing the _Falcon._ The traffic jam above the planet had nothing on the one they encountered when they entered the spaceport.

The whole place was jammed with merchants hawking their wares, mostly in kiosks, all clamoring for the business of those just landed. The din was unbelievable.

"This place is giving me a headache," Leia hissed, covering her ears.

"This isn't even Trader's Plaza," Han reminded her, walking behind her. "It gets worse. This is just the spaceport."

"And you said this is the best place to get what we're looking for!" Leia snapped at Han.

"It is, sweetheart," Han assured her with a smile as she strode on ahead of him. He found he was having a very pleasant time admiring Leia's rear view. The gemweb pants and close fitting tunic clung snugly to her backside, highlighting the motion of her well-rounded hips. Her hair, pulled back from her face with a simple clip, swung freely down along her backside, playing counterpoint to the rhythm of her walk. Overall, Han thought the view was excellent.

{Pay attention!} Chewie awrroowed at Han.

"I am paying attention!" Han hissed back.

{To her ass!} the Wookiee pointed out.

"Shut up, you furry lug!" Han stage-whispered. "And keep it that way!"

Chewie knew that he'd pushed far enough. For the moment.

Han could have looked at Leia's behind all day long, but they were there to do business, and business was exactly what they were going to do.

"Okay, let's go over this," Han said, catching up to Leia. "The first thing we have to do is a little shopping."

"I think that's what we agreed upon," Leia said, scowling. "But we can't do much; we barely have enough credits for what we need! And I have to get to the bank."

"I have my own credits, Princess," Han growled. "I'm not dipping into the Alliance's stash!"

Leia sighed. He'd embarrassed her—again—and it made her angry. Her posture was rigid, but her eyes were lowered. She found herself blushing; that made her angry, too!

Han, sensing her discomfort, instinctively reached out to touch her shoulder. To his surprise, she didn't attempt to shove him away.

"I'm sorry. This is just very...difficult," she explained with a sigh.

"It's all difficult," Han said to her. "C'mon. Let's be shopping tourists for a while. We might even enjoy ourselves."

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Trader's Plaza was the ultimate ode to crass consumerism. Despite being three kilometers long, it was completely enclosed, hundreds upon hundreds of shops crammed together, selling nearly everything known to the galaxy, and a few things that Leia was pretty sure she'd never known about-or wanted to. Her brow furrowed; the display they were in front of showed some very odd items.

"What, you don't like sex toys, Princess?" Han teased.

Leia gritted her teeth, and worked hard to keep the embarrassment off her face. She had to get through the day without killing Han Solo, she reminded herself, though the Plaza was so densely crowded she was pretty sure that no one would have noticed if she did murder him. There were more than a few beings squabbling with merchants-and each other.

"And I thought the base was noisy and crowded!" Leia complained, clearly ill at ease with the mayhem. But when she saw that no one was paying any attention to them, she realized they could relax a little. There were a few Imperial soldiers, but they weren't in full uniform, and they seemed to be concentrating on bargains, not defectors.

{I'm going to the Wookiee Emporia,} Chewie announced. {I'll meet you at 1300 at Corbel's Corellian Grill.}

"Maybe her Highness would prefer to eat somewhere else." Han remarked to his furry friend.

Chewie turned to her, his blue eyes apologetic. {I'm sorry, Princess. We just always eat there when we're here. But we can eat wherever you like.}

Leia turned to Han. "I guess this is going to be something of an all-day expedition, isn't it?"

"More than likely," Han told her. In truth, he hated crowds even more than Leia did, but they had to make their way to the real dealers they came for...subtly.

{I'll comm you at 1245,} Chewie told them, and headed off. Chewie could have mowed down most of the beings in the crowd if he'd wanted to, Han thought wistfully, Han wouldn't have minded clearing the plaza himself, but neither would. Chewie was capable of holding his temper in check. Most of the time.

"Well, we'll see what we feel like come lunchtime," Leia said. She looked up at Han. "So what are you buying?"

"Power tools, maybe," Han mused. "Can never have too many of those."

"Isn't that all you ever buy?" Leia said sharply as she and Han attempted to wend their way through the throngs without tripping on anyone.

"No, I buy parts for the _Falcon_ , too." Han flashed his signature grin at her.

"Your wardrobe could use some updating," Leia commented.

"Why? I've got twenty of everything! Makes getting dressed uncomplicated," Han told her.

"You. Are. Impossible," Leia remarked through gritted teeth, but was also vaguely amused. Han was such a _guy_ , she thought. But she had to give it to him for not being superficial in that regard. She'd known too many guys who fussed and fretted over their attire at least as much as some women, and that was a turnoff.

But there were a lot of items he'd look pretty damn good in, she told herself. And he might look good getting out of them…

 _Stop!_ she ordered herself. _Focus! We're working!_

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There was no rhyme or reason to the layout of the shops. Lacy lingerie was next to power tools.

"You like tools, Your Highness?" Han asked.

"I can use them, but I'm not all that interested in them," she admitted.

"I kind of like them. I'll go have a look. Coming?"

"Uh…" Leia blushed furiously. "I think I'll go next door."

Leia was expecting him to ask if she needed help, or to make an off-color remark, but he simply shrugged and said, "Go for it." Then he winked at her. "Want some credits?"

"No, that's okay, I'm just going to look," Leia said, still blushing. "Besides," she continued stiffly. "I do have a few credits of my own, you know."

With nothing more than a raised eyebrow, Han disappeared into the cribs of tools. Leia mused that he looked like a little boy let loose in a toy shop.

She was also mystified as to why he showed no curiosity with regards to her desire to look at lingerie. Was it possible that Han Solo could actually be _modest_ with regards to certain matters? Leia would never have believed it had she not witnessed it.

The lingerie shop was a disappointment; the merchandise was of poor quality. Not that Leia had intended to purchase anything—her stash of credits was quite small—but the fabrics were cheap and looked as if they'd fall apart on the first washing. And the shopkeeper was in her face as soon as she entered the store. The last thing she needed was to have beings paying particular attention to her, especially in view of their real reason for being here.

Sighing, she headed over to the tool shop, where Han was negotiating-loudly-with the proprietor for a better price. She stood back until a price was settled on, which took more time than she thought it should, but the one thing she'd learned about the smuggler was that he could take a credit and stretch it till it screamed for mercy.

Leia could haggle, but she was far more experienced in negotiating with would-be Rebel sympathizers and government officials. She was going to have to watch how Han did it. He was a smuggler and boasted that he never paid retail. She believed it.

"So what was that all about?" she asked as they exited the shop, Han carrying a bulky package.

"Turbohammers," Han muttered crossly.

"Don't you have some of those back on the ship?" she asked.

He grinned at her. "Sometimes you need a bigger hammer. C'mon, I need some small hydrospanners. Mine get worn out in a hurry."

"Considering how often you have to fix that blasted ship of yours, I'm not surprised," Leia said sharply.

"Hey!" Han stopped and held up a finger. "Listen, Your Highnessness. _Nobody_ disses my ship. Especially when they're traveling in it! Only I get to do that!"

Leia didn't know whether to be annoyed or amused. Turning to him, her expression neutral, she remarked in a level voice, "I was just making an observation."

"Well, the lady does have a temper, but she's my girl, and she's saved my sorry ass more times than I'd like to think about," Han conceded.

"You talk about her as if she's alive," Leia observed.

"A pilot's ship is an extension of him or her," Han told her. "You get to know every quirk, how she feels whatever you're up to. The _Falcon's_ a part of me, just as my hands are."

"The Alliance could provide you with a newer craft for missions," Leia said to him, carefully.

"But it wouldn't be mine," Han pointed out. "I know the old girl, and she knows me, too. That counts for everything when you're in a jam."

"Which we frequently are," Leia added dryly.

"Welcome to life during wartime, Princess."

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The sensory overload from the massive plaza was getting to both Han and Leia. Chewie had comm'd that he'd given up on shopping and was relaxing at a Wookiee bar in one of the seemingly endless food courts.

"Now that's a place you don't want to go," Han informed Leia. "Rotgut and raw meat."

"Chewie says his wife makes wine," Leia recalled.

"Still horrible stuff. Unless you like it sickeningly sweet and incredibly fast-acting."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Leia chuckled.

"I had it at Chewie's wedding. It made my teeth hurt and my knees melt, and that was just from toasting," Han informed her.

"All that from a sip?" Leia asked, incredulous that anyone, especially Han, could be drunk from that little.

"Yeah," he explained. "At Wookiee weddings, the toasts go on for hours. I made the one glass last. Okay, so it's a very large glass," Han admitted. "That was a hangover I haven't forgotten."

"And how many hangovers do you remember?" Leia teased as they made their way through the crowds.

"Only the bad ones."

Han and Leia had become just two people in a massive throng of beings, looking as if they wanted to do nothing more than a little shopping in a place where capitalism flourished in its rawest form. Their postures were more relaxed, and they found that the day was less irritating than they'd imagined it would be.

Han was actually having fun, especially with Leia there. He found that when it was just the two of them, she was funny, and relaxed, and even nice...most of the time. He wished she'd find something to buy; he'd be happy to get her something nice, although lingerie wasn't something he'd have been comfortable buying. Not that he objected to it; it looked pretty on the right woman, and was very enticing, even if the object was to get her out of it as quickly as possible.

He was imagining Leia in shimmersilk and lace undergarments and felt his throat go dry. Fortunately, just then she called out to him.

"Han!"

The two were standing in front of an open-faced store selling upscale dinner and drinkware.

Leia had picked up a dark blue stemmed glass, trimmed with a strand of intricately crafted silver flowers around the bowl.

Han nodded at her. "You've got good taste. What do they want for those things?" He carefully picked up its mate to check the price. Han was always careful with merchandise. "What? Are they kidding?"

"I know, they're way too expensive," Leia sighed. "You know what these are, aren't you?" she asked, looking up at Han, her eyes wide and more than a bit sad.

"Sure. They're Alderaanian lapis glass. Valuable stuff. But their prices are still ridiculous!"

"My parents received a pair just like those when they were married. It's a traditional wedding gift," Leia explained, knowing she would never see those beautiful glasses again.

Han thrust his package at Leia and took both glasses. "Well, let's get them to give us a better price, then." He smiled at her, an uncharacteristically gentle smile that said, _I know_ _you remember, and it makes you sad. Let's see what we can do about that._

Han entered the store, carefully cradling the two glasses, and approached the clerk he could see hovering near the payment desk. Leia remained just outside, from a vantage point where she could observe without being seen. The clerk looked Alderaanian, and the princess couldn't risk being recognized.

"Two hundred for the set," Han announced firmly. He knew he'd end up paying more, but he knew the rules of haggling: bid impossibly low at the outset; that's how the game was played.

The young clerk gasped in horror. "Sir, those are two hundred twenty-five credits apiece! I can't let you have the set for two hundred!"

"Sure you can," Han said, with his most ingratiating smile. Leia had to admit that he did know how to be charming-when he had to be. "I happen to know what those cost back on Alderaan, and I can guarantee that they weren't two twenty-five a pop."

"I can't let them go for less than four-fifty; I'll lose my job!"

"How about two-fifty?" Han countered.

Peering inside, Leia found the show vaguely amusing. Han wasn't being bellicose, as he had been in the tool shop, but then again, everyone else in the tool shop was negotiating in the same fashion. Maybe the rules for tools and dinnerware were different, she mused.

"I...uh...let me get my supervisor." The young man gulped as he dashed into the back of the shop.

"Good," Han said to himself. "We're making progress." He turned and flashed his lopsided grin at Leia, hovering in the doorway. "Don't worry, we'll get the glasses," Han mouthed to her.

An older woman, her hair worn in a traditional Alderaanian style, came out from the back of the shop, trailed by the young clerk. "Is there a problem?" she asked, quietly but assertively.

"No problem," Han told her, flashing The Smile again. "But your merchandise is overpriced as all hells. I really, really want these glasses, but I know for a fact that these retailed for one twenty five on Alderaan, and I wasn't there all that long ago."

"We have very few mementos of our homeworld left-" the woman began, but Han held up his hand.

"Yeah, and making a huge profit off that tragedy is disgusting," Han said, very quietly. "Now, are

you going to sell me these glasses or not?"

The woman contemplated the idea for a while. "I have to stay in business, you know," she reminded Han haughtily.

"Oh, you're not going to have any problems staying in business, ma'am," Han assured her. "As long as you sell stuff for what it's really worth."

Leia hated that she had to remain hidden. She loved hearing Alderaanian voices, and she longed to reach out and embrace the people—her people-whom Han simply considered to be adversaries in a business deal, but the last thing she needed was anyone knowing who she was. She was quite certain no Alderaanians would ever turn her over to the Imperials, but word could spread fast, especially in a place such as Trader's Plaza.

"Elroi!" she called to the young man Han had begun the deal with. "Please wrap these up," she said, indicating the glasses.

"Carefully," Han admonished him. He handed over two hundred fifty in credits, and once the glasses had been cushioned and packaged to his satisfaction, he rejoined Leia outside the shop.

"Actually, those used to go for one forty to one fifty," Leia informed the smuggler as they merged into the swarm of beings.

Han grinned at her, as he handed her the package, and took back his own. "Can't blame a guy for trying to strike a bargain."

She touched his arm, ever so gently, and he stopped to look at her. "Thank you. Thank you so much for these. I'll pay you-"

"No, you won't, Princess. They're my credits, and I'll spend them how I like, and I'm glad I could get you something that reminded you of your home. Now, I still need mini-hydrospanners-that last guy's were bantha crap-but I'm pretty hungry. How about lunch?"

Leia smiled at him. "I could eat."

"Good. Let's get something that doesn't look like rations."

"You'll get no argument from me there."

What amazed both of them was just how easy, and fun, and natural this all felt. For a while, the war had been forgotten, and they simply had a chance to enjoy being around each other.

It was strange. And not unwelcome.

"I have a question for you," Leia asked him as they headed for one of the food courts. "Were those really sex toys at the kiosk when we got in?"

Han threw back his head and laughed.


	9. Chapter 9

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 9

Han and Leia found themselves near one of the food courts. This one had the most amazing smells emanating from it, which couldn't be said about all of them. Leia thought she detected something Alderaanian; her mouth watered.

Han held out a hand and stopped her just before they reached the entrance. "Hang on. This guy has good stuff." He pointed to another shop that carried tools. "At least he used to. You mind waiting while I get my small hydrospanners?"

"Have at it, Flyboy," Leia said, smiling a bit. "I'll look around out here a bit." The store was very crowded and the haggling was loud; Leia wanted no part of it. She wandered a short distance away from the store, and was nearly knocked over by a quartet of quarreling Drednoughts.

And then she saw it.

It was a dress—a purple dress, made of translucent zoosha fabric, lined from the bodice to the knees. The neckline was low enough to be suggestive, but not so low that it was blatant. The zoosha fabric extended to the floor, and the sleeves were sheer.

 _You can't afford it,_ Leia admonished herself severely.

She walked over to it, and ran her hand over the fabric. It was of surprisingly good quality.

 _It's completely impractical,_ she told herself.

Leia checked her stash of credits.

 _What are you doing this for? You could use these credits for the troops! Or at least for something practical!_

She took the dress from its form and carried it to the proprietress.

 _If Solo can negotiate the hells out of a price, so can I._

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"What'd you find?" Han asked her at lunch, noticing she was carrying a second package.

"Just something small," Leia said, a bit too defensively.

"Hey, calm down! I was just asking!" Han held up his hands in a 'no harm, no foul' gesture.

"Sorry. I have to go to the bank when we finish lunch, and it's making me uneasy," she admitted, spearing her Alderaanian-style avan stew. Granted, it was the fast food version of her native cuisine, but it was nice to have even a small taste of home. And Han hadn't protested when she'd made her lunch request.

"Traders' Bank? They'll take anyone's credits, clean, dirty, otherwise. You won't have any problems," Han told her, gently laying a hand on her arm. "They wouldn't care if the Emperor himself walked in and took out a loan. And he probably has."

The thought of the Emperor standing in line with the unwashed hordes momentarily amused Leia. And there was the feel of Han's hand, touching her arm ever so lightly. She could feel a momentary surge of electricity.

 _Is this why I_ _bought that dress?_ Leia asked herself. _Gods!_ She immediately banished the thought from her mind, and told Han, "We'd best get going."

 _And pray that nobody cares who I am,_ she told herself.

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Traders' Bank had branches throughout the Plaza. The main one was in what could loosely be termed its 'center.'

"Go to one of the smaller branches," Han advised. "Preferably a really crowded one."

"I have no idea how much is in the account, if it still exists," Leia admitted. She was a bit twitchy about the entire idea. "And I'm worried sick someone's going to see that we were here, and pass it on."

"I don't think anyone here cares that much," Han reassured her. "Look at these idiots," he waved a casual hand toward the milling throngs of shoppers, "ready to kill each other over whatever bantha crap they're selling."

"If there's still anything in the account, it's not going to be a small amount. I'm not saying it'll be large-"

Han laughed. "Princess, how many sentients and shopping bags have you been smacked by today?"

"I lost count back at the spaceport," Leia said, irritation evident in her voice. "Why?"

"Beings are here to buy. In order to buy, they need credits. In order to get credits, they need the bank. Do you think you're the only one here who's going to ask for a ridiculous sum?"

"Define a ridiculous sum," Leia challenged him as they attempted to pass by shoppers and their purchases. They treaded warily when it came to the Barabels, giving them the right of way.

"It'd have to be pretty large to qualify by me," Han said, grinning at her. Another branch of the bank was coming up about twenty meters ahead.

"You're not being helpful!" Leia shot back. She was tired of the crowds and the shoving. The odors, not all of them pleasant, were getting to her, and her legs felt as if she'd been running an obstacle course. Fun time, for her, was definitely over.

"Who, me? I'm a helpful kind of guy!"

"Just...stop it, please." Leia rubbed her temples.

Han knew she was worried. He had his concerns as well, but there was no way he was going to add to her stress. He laid a hand on her back, barely touching her as they stepped up to the entryway of the bank. The lines were long but moving quickly; a line of bored-looking teller droids stood behind a long, heavily shielded counter and handed out credits to the rabid consumers they were there to service. Surveillance droids floated over the heads of both tellers and customers.

Leia squared her shoulders and stepped into the lengthy queue, while Han waited near the entrance. Her eyes flicked once in his direction; he sent her a reassuring glance and nod in return. If she had any trouble-and despite his assurances to her, he knew it was a possibility-he would be right there. His only plans to help her at the moment consisted of using a blaster, which was his default, anyway. It wasn't necessarily elegant, but it was usually effective.

The teller-droids, Leia noted, weren't as rigorously programmed as the ones she was used to dealing with on Alderaan or Coruscant. Their photoreceptors barely scanned the customer id's; it seemed as if speed was their primary function. However, as with all banks, each transaction was recorded; Leia hoped that they didn't turn these over to the Imperial Forces with any regularity.

Leia may have been squirming on the inside, but she didn't let her face betray her. She'd learned long ago to keep her emotions well-concealed. One of the things that annoyed her most was that Han Solo seemed to always be able to see right through to them.

"I need to check my balance," she announced to the teller.

"ID, please," the teller responded automatically.

Leia handed over the ID that had been made for her long ago under a false name; she and her father both used false names for the account. And it had been done while she was wearing that abomination of a hairstyle she used to wear in the Senate. The droid did a quick scan and passed it back to her.

"Thirty-seven thousand five hundred," the teller-droid announced in a tone that indicated it didn't care whether it had been one credit or a million.

"I'll take thirty," Leia said coolly. She was concerned that the sum might trigger a subroutine in the teller's programming causing it to halt the transaction; apparently, that was not the case. The teller processed the request, handed her the credits, and signaled 'Next!' before Leia could even get in a 'thank you.'

Leia exhaled as she beat a hasty retreat.

"Well?" Han asked her, as they stepped back into bustling Trader's Plaza.

"Thirty-thousand credits more for our excursion," she whispered. "I was sure the amount was going to draw attention, but that wasn't the case at all."

Han laughed out loud. "People blow more than that at one sitting in the casinos."

"We are NOT going to the casinos!" Leia informed him sharply.

"I didn't say we were," Han said, shrugging.

At that moment, a trio of Kubaz swarmed by, jostling into Han, their long snouts twitching. Han pulled Leia into the shadow of a nearby shop.

"Well, just in case you were thinking you'd get involved in a sabacc game," Leia continued without missing a beat.

"The odds are terrible here. I'd rather play elsewhere," Han remarked. "Too many tourists, not enough serious players."

"I don't know. You play the amateurs on base all the time," Leia said tartly.

"Just trying to teach them the fine points of the game. Anything else you want while we're here? We're meeting Chewie in fifteen."

Leia could think of a lot of things she wanted, but she had no more credits, and she wasn't about to ask Han for any. "I think I'm done here. You?"

"Anything else I need I'll have to get when we head out to do the real shopping," Han said quietly. "And if you think this place is trashy, well, you haven't seen the real business end of Atzerri."

"I can hardly wait."

"Let's get a kaf," Han suggested, guiding Leia towards a kaf kiosk. "We've got a long ways to go yet."

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Chewie, Leia and Han had to walk to the end of Traders' Plaza in order to get out into the city itself.

Chewie had purchased several things for himself, but also presented Leia with a new hairbrush, some pretty hair clips, and a wrap made of a soft, fine wool.

"Oh, Chewie, you didn't have to," Leia said, smiling at him. "But thank you very much."

{I wanted to get you something, Princess, but I didn't know what,} Chewie said, appearing slightly embarrassed.

"It's all very lovely. Thank you again, Chewie." Leia was touched by the Wookiee's gesture-and surprised by his good taste.

"Nice. Now what'd you get for me?" Han asked the Wookiee.

{Nothing. Exactly what you deserve!} Chewie laughed loudly, pleased for a chance to insult his best friend.

"Well, you're in luck, because that's exactly what I got you!" Han shot back.

{It's not as if you've done anything for me lately,} Chewie continued to laugh.

"Likewise," Han retorted, but Leia got the impression this was standard operating procedure for the two of them, and she found herself somewhat amused. "All right, time to do business."

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Getting out of the plaza was a chore in and of itself; 'purveyors of fine merchandise' got in their faces, offering unbelievable discounts, the best quality, the largest selection.

"Yeah, you believe that, I've got luxury apartments on Tralus for sale," Han remarked when they'd finally succeeded in reaching the exit. "Built on nothing but the finest swampland."

Outside of Traders' Plaza, merchants still abounded, but its cleanliness, kept up by an army of cleaning droids who were always at the ready, wasn't a feature here; the streets and walkways were filled with litter. Those shopping these streets seemed less in the mood to celebrate conspicuous consumption and a lot more serious about doing whatever it was they had to do.

And there were stormtroopers. Not many, but they were obvious, at least to Han, Leia and Chewie. Leia guessed the reason why: this particular block was home to a number of firearms shops.

"Let's find the tram," Han said.

"This looks like weapons central to me," Leia observed, keeping her voice very low.

"This isn't where we're going to shop," Han bent down, speaking close to her ear. "We're going to hit the bad part of town. I'm assuming you've got your blaster strapped to your ankle? You might want to put it closer to where you can reach it once we're on the tram."

"This isn't the bad part of town?" Leia remarked, raising one eyebrow.

"Not even close," Han told her. This did not give her a warm, fuzzy feeling. At least the stormtroopers seemed to be ignoring them, but that could change at any moment. All three of them were careful to keep their heads down and eyes averted. Certainly Leia was on Imperial most-wanted lists, and it was likely that Han and Chewie were as well. And there was the issue of bounty hunters. Han was very popular among them.

Han led them up a narrow alleyway to a street several blocks away. The Imperials were still in evidence, but now they moved with considerable stealth. The alleyway had a few drunk beings sleeping along its edges, and the aroma was anything but pleasing, but it had kept them out of sight. They moved through it quickly, and came out right by the tram stop.

"Okay, tram's coming," Han told them.

{I can hear!} Chewie reminded him.

"Yeah, but you don't always listen," Han fired back.

{With you around, it's no wonder.}

Han turned to Leia and rolled his eyes. "See what I have to put up with?"

The tram was fairly crowded, and Leia was finding it difficult to move her blaster pistol from her ankle to the waistband of her pants. It spoiled the lines of the tunic she was wearing, but, she knew, sacrifices had to be made, and Han had a point when he said it was always better to shoot first.

A Bothan rider smacked into Chewie, who had to keep his head ducked in order to fit into the tram. Chewie answered him with a roar and a show of teeth. The Bothan-and everyone else-gave Chewie a wide berth after that. This annoyed Leia, who would have preferred for him to keep quiet and not be noticed, or at least as much as it was possible for a Wookiee not to be noticed.

Han pulled them off at the next stop and snapped at Chewie. "You just had to make a scene, didn't you? We're trying to do this real quiet-like!"

{He was trying to shove me out of the way! And he was stepping on my foot!} Chewie protested. {I have a hard enough time in those tubes without a damn Bothan pushing me!}

"Yeah, well, now we gotta wait for the next one," Han said irritably. "And this time, keep your mouth shut. Got it?"

{You're one to talk,} Chewie retorted.

"Both of you, knock it off!" Leia hissed. "You act like little boys sometimes!"

Han glared at her, then gave her a wolfish smile, one hand poised on his hip. "Trust me, Your Highnessness, I'm no little boy."

Leia fought the impulse to smack him as the next tram arrived.

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The tram led them to the outskirts of the city, where the surroundings became seedier and the denizens ever more questionable-looking.

 _This is how you run a revolution,_ Leia reminded herself, as she looked out the viewport.

They took the tram close to the end of the line. Han indicated that they would disembark at the third to last stop.

"How far is it from here?" Leia asked as they exited the vehicle.

"Fourteen blocks," Han said to her.

"Couldn't we have stayed on the tram?" she asked.

"I thought it might be a better strategy if we weren't the last ones on, where we'd be a lot more obvious," Han pointed out sharply.

Again, he'd humiliated her and she was furious with him for it. But he did have a point.

The sun was getting lower in the sky as they walked; Leia pulled out the lovely wrap Chewie had purchased for her and draped it over herself. It was soft and comfortable. _Almost as comfortable as Han's robe,_ she told herself, and immediately chastised herself for thinking that. They needed to buy hardware and lots of it; she hoped Han's contact was as good as he said it was.

"It's not as bad as the lower levels of Coruscant," Han assured Leia.

"From what I've heard, that's damning with faint praise," Leia said, but she had to laugh a little. One thing about Han: he really could make the best of a lousy situation.

"We're here," Han announced as the three approached a nondescript, unmarked property.

"What is this place?" Leia asked, her brows furrowed.

"It's a bar," Han said. He rang the buzzer.

"Bar's closed!" a voice shouted.

Han yelled back. "Tell Zovri, Solo wants a damn whiskey!" Leia was uneasy. The voice they'd heard was anything but friendly.

A few interminably long minutes passed, and finally, the door was opened. It groaned heavily. "Upstairs," the individual who was most likely a bouncer let them in. He was, to say the least, unsavory looking, and very, very large.

The bar was small, filthy looking, and poorly kept, but Leia observed that there were top of the line beverages filling the shelves behind the serving area. Still, she was more than a little worried.

"Don't worry, I know this guy," Han said to her, trying to calm her.

"But does he like you?" Leia asked.

"Better than some," was Han's response.


	10. Chapter 10

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 10

Leia started tentatively up the rickety staircase, surprised that it could hold all three of them without collapsing. However, since neither Han nor Chewie seemed concerned, she gritted her teeth and continued up in their wake. They arrived at the door of what appeared to be an apartment above the derelict tavern.

"I'm thirsty!" Han shouted, as he pounded on the door.

"Settle down, you loudmouthed brat!" The door was flung open by a man with a Corellian accent but with the distinctive but somewhat foreshortened lekku that was characteristic of theTogruta . Though she couldn't be certain of his age, Leia guessed he was probably two decades older than Han. "Solo, you loser!" the being continued in a booming voice. "Good to see you! Come, come in! I'll even give you a drink."

"That'd be nice," Han commented.

Leia surveyed her surroundings. The apartment was modest but clean and comfortable looking. The sofa and two chairs were well-worn; the desk was a weathered antique constructed of some pale-colored wood, and there wasn't a holoscreen or datapad to be seen. It appeared that their host appreciated simplicity.

"Chewie, nice to see you, too," Zovri greeted the Wookiee, and Chewie slapped Zovri hard enough on the back that he nearly knocked the man over, which only made Zovri laugh. "Solo, your manners are still horrible! Who's the lovely young lady?"

"This is...Leia," Han said, not wanting to go into details.

"Leia, pleasure to meet you. I'm sorry you have to travel with someone who's got the manners of a bantha. Please, sit. There's nothing here that'll attack you unless it's my pitten, and that's only if she doesn't like you," Zovri assured her. Apparently the pitten understood that she was being summoned; a fat, fluffy mass of grey and brown fur appeared—seemingly out of nowhere—and promptly rubbed up against Han's leg.

"Messing up my boots again, you monster," Han said to the pitten, and picked up the large creature. "Zovri being mean to you?"

"I'm mean to a lot of beings but not to Ripples," Zovri said, more for Leia's benefit than Han's. "That pitten lives better than I do."

"She should," Han said, scratching Ripples behind the ears, causing the pitten to make a happy chirping noise. Leia marveled at the scene; Han was the last person she'd have taken for a pitten lover. It made her a little sad, thinking of her aunts' pittens, the ones she'd loved and played with growing up in the palace on Alderaan, even though the little monsters had taken the concept of spoiled brat to a whole new level. She'd never see them again…

She shoved the thought away and focused again on Zovri as he pulled out a crystalline decanter and poured four short glasses with one finger of whiskey. Leia hadn't really wanted to drink, but seeing as she couldn't afford to alienate her host, she sipped it gently. At least it wasn't a large amount.

"Twenty-five-year-old Corellian whiskey," Zovri informed her. "Very smooth."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"So, let's get down to business, since this isn't a social call," Zovri said, turning briskly businesslike. "What's the old YT-1300 need this time?"

"She needs a few things, but that's not all we're here for," Han said to his host, sipping his whiskey, still massaging an appreciative Ripples.

"Oh? What are we talking about?" Zovri was still friendly enough, but there was caution in his face, now.

"This is for the Rebellion," Han said simply.

Zovri's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Solo, don't tell me you've committed to the cause. I'm not ready to have a coronary just yet."

Leia relaxed a little; clearly this being was a 'friendly.'

"I'm not committed to anything," Han responded, a bit too defensively. "But they're good beings, they do the right things, and they pay a fair rate."

"I see. So what do you need?" Zovri inquired.

Han rattled off a long list of parts. It was not lost on Leia that Zovri wrote nothing down.

When Han finally was silent, Zovri gave a harsh bark. "You don't ask for much, do you, Solo?"

"We've got payment," Han informed him. "Leia?"

Leia reached into her carryall and pulled out a small bag containing jewels that they'd stolen on

Kallistas. "If you want credits-"

"No, dear, I don't take credits. You're Alderaanian, aren't you?" Zovri asked her.

"Yes," Leia said, trying to bite back her nervousness.

"My wife was half Alderaanian and half Corellian. Beautiful world, Alderaan. Loved taking our kids there. When I had 'em."

"I'm very sorry," Leia said quietly.

"Not your fault. The damn Empire took 'em, killed 'em. When they fired me from Corellian Engineering-I was a lead engineer there-I started an uprising. So they took my wife and two boys. I'm told that one should forgive one's enemies, but that's not gonna happen here." His voice took on a bitterness that diverged sharply from his earlier warmth. "And you know why I got fired?"

"For not being fully human?" Leia guessed cautiously.

"So you know. I still got friends there, lots of sympathizers. It's why I can get you the good stuff. But it costs."

Leia handed him the bag. He took it to his small desk and laid the gems out carefully. Ripples had now settled into Han's lap and was snoozing peacefully. Han ran a loving hand over the pitten.

"Not bad, not bad at all," Zovri announced. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna ask where you got them."

"Good, because I'm not telling you," Han replied. "Think it'll cover it?"

"Think so. If I run into trouble, can you cover the difference?"

There were still a fair number of jewels stashed away in the _Falcon's_ hidden safe. "Probably," Han said noncommittally. "How long?"

"I'll get back to you on it," Zovri told him. "Few days, probably. I'll send a message through to the Falcon's comm, like always." His business demeanor slid away. "I have to open the bar soon. You staying for sabacc?" he asked with a friendly smile.

"Nah, not tonight," Han said.

Zovri again wore an expression of complete shock. "Solo, son, what's gotten into you? Are you in love or something?"

Han avoided responding to that suggestion by standing and moving Ripples, who protested by

sticking her claws into his hand and drawing a small stream of blood. "Always a pleasure doing business with you, Zovri. Thanks for the drink." He wiped absently at his wound.

"I'll catch you on the secure channel," Zovri said. "Clear skies."

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"What's next?" Leia asked Han and Chewie as they boarded the tram.

"I was thinking we'd grab provisions for the Falcon and I'd cook us a decent dinner," Han told her. Chewie arroowed his enthusiastic approval for the idea. Even Leia was looking forward to some good food; it was a rare treat nowadays. "Then I figured we'd overnight here. Lots of people do; we won't arouse suspicion by not taking off the same day we landed. I could use some sleep after today."

"My feet will be happy to get a break," Leia commented, her comfortable shoes were no longer doing their job. Also, she wanted to put on her new dress. She didn't know why-and she didn't care to figure it out—but seeing the dress had aroused in her a desire to feel feminine. It mystified her; she'd never really cared that much about it before. _Maybe it's wearing uniforms all the time,_ she told herself, not daring to entertain the notion that Han Solo might appreciate seeing her in something pretty. And a day of shopping and walking for many kilometers meant that her current clothing needed to go through the valet. "And a nice dinner sounds delicious."

"It's going to be Corellian, but I promise not to burn your mouth off," Han promised her, grinning.

"That's very considerate of you," Leia said somewhat tartly, but she smiled; she was looking forward to the meal. "Are we going back through Traders' Plaza for provisions?"

"No way in hells," Han said vehemently. "They'll rob you blind in there. There're some good markets not too far from the spaceport."

{I'll make the salad,} Chewie offered. When Leia demonstrated some skepticism, Han told her not to worry, that Wookiees actually made great salads and no, they did not contain raw meat.

Leia had a million questions regarding Zovri, but they could wait till dinner. Right now, exhaustion was creeping up on her.

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"It's always good to be home," Han announced happily as the three trod up the gangway. Closing it behind him, he hit the lights and he and Chewie headed for the galley. "Princess, we've got it covered!"

"That's good, because kaf is about the extent of my talents in the kitchen," Leia called back, heading for the crew quarters.

She liberated her feet from her shoes and stretched out on the bunk. The cool air felt good, and Leia relaxed, closing her eyes for a moment. It had been a long, stressful day, but, she realized, not an unpleasant one, and it had been very productive. Of course, they still had quite a bit left on their 'shopping list,' but getting the parts had been a major coup. And the stormtroopers hadn't spotted them, which had been a relief.

And, she was forced to admit, the day had been rather fun. Fun was something that was largely missing from her life; it always had been, save for the times when she and Winter had rare free day from their lessons, or when she played with the servants' kids. That seemed like a very long time ago. On base, drinking and card games were the primary forms of entertainment, along with the occasional holofilm, generally some superhero action-adventure type of selection.

What Leia really wanted now, though was a shower. She'd settle for a sonic one this time; the _Falcon's_ shower water was recycled, but she didn't want to be greedy.

And it gave her another chance to wear the robe. It was still in her quarters, folded on the bed. She picked it up, running her fingers over the soft fabric. Picking it up, she breathed in its scent; despite her having used it, it still smelled like Han. _And why are you finding that_ _so intriguing?_ she scolded herself.

After she showered, she would definitely put on the purple dress, she decided. _I'm wearing it for me, not for him,_ she assured herself as she shed her clothing and bundled herself into the soft robe.

Delicious smells were emanating from the galley, making Leia's mouth water as she made her way to the shower; it was clear that Han and Chewie were cooking up something good. The sounds of their good natured bickering drifted down the corridor. Somehow, it was comforting to hear them going back and forth, as if for a moment, all was right in the galaxy.

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{This galley's too small for both of us!} Chewie protested as he finished putting the seeds on the salad he'd prepared.

"This galley's too small for one of us, but dinner's almost ready, assuming Her Worship ever gets here," Han grumbled. The food was nearly done; anything longer than two minutes, and the food would be overcooked. Han had already pulled Chewie's traladon steak off the broiler; Chewie's concession to human sensibilities was that he'd brown the outside of his meat. "Lay the table, wouldya?"

{You're so bossy,} Chewie complained.

"I'm the captain and I'm in charge, that's my job!" Han reminded him. "You seen Her Highness anywhere?"

"I'm right here," called an alto voice, making her way into the lounge.

Han looked up and nearly dropped the cooking tongs he was using to wield landak tails onto plates. Leia was standing before him in a purple dress that looked new—obviously that was the package she wouldn't tell him about earlier-her hair hanging long and loose. His mouth dropped open and the surge of heat he was experiencing had nothing to do with the oven.

"Han? Do you need some help?" Leia asked, one eyebrow cocked.

"Uh...no, no, got it under control, thanks!" He grabbed the traladon steaks and set them on to the three plates, almost dropping them in the process.

 _She has no idea what she's doing to me,_ he thought, gazing upon her. _She's so feminine-looking, so gorgeous...just a hint of cleavage, her beautiful curves…_

He hoped he could get through dinner without spilling anything.

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"I'm curious about your friend Zovri," Leia said between forkfuls. She hadn't had a meal such as they were enjoying in ages. Everything was delicious-tender traladon steaks, luscious ladnak tails, mashed tubers, and Chewie's strange but wonderful salad. She knew she'd have to take it easy, though-Han had bought an air cake for dessert. She loved air cake and was determined to have some.

"Zovri doesn't have friends," Han answered with a shrug. "Not since his wife and sons were killed."

Chewie lowed a mournful agreement.

"That part I understand." Leia leaned forward. "But Han, you rattled off a long list of part numbers-and he never wrote anything down."

Han dragged his eyes away from enticing view of the princess's décolletage.

"Zovri was one of the most gifted engineers Corellian Engineering ever had," he explained. "He's worked on every aspect of spacecraft design, both civilian and military, and he's got guys on the inside that were pissed as all hells that he got fired for being part Togruta. And, he's got an eidetic memory." Han patted the seat of the lounge banquette. "He also designed my baby."

"Everyone's entitled to one mistake," Leia said dryly, but then her tone became serious. "It was obvious he had no technology whatsoever in his apartment, not even a holovision," Leia commented.

Han grinned at her. "You didn't see his bedroom. No one ever does, usually. But I had to use the 'fresher one time, and you have to pass through it to get there. He told me not to look at anything, which is a little hard when he's got it set up like Universe Central. He's plugged into everything-manufacturing, media outlets, intelligence outfits, you name it. He's got a bed in there, but I think he sleeps on the sofa in the living room."

"So who else does he do business with?" Leia asked, her face uncertain.

"He's worked with smugglers ever since he got fired from Corellian Engineering, but he'll help anybody who's against the Empire." Han's face was sober. "For obvious reasons," he added.

"He works with the Alliance a lot, too, but he doesn't advertise. Also for obvious reasons."

"I would think I'd have heard of him." The princess's brows drew together.

"No, you wouldn't have. You don't just go to Zovri. You get referred. And he insists on anonymity."

Leia nodded. "How does he know who he's doing business with?" she asked.

"That's easy. If Ripples likes you, you're in."

"The _pitten_?" Leia almost choked on a bite of ladnak tail.

Chewie laughed at the surprised look on the princess's face.

"Ripples can sniff out an Imp even better than a Wookiee. Although considering how plugged in he is, I think he checks the clients out pretty carefully. Told me about one time some pirates wanted to do business, and said they were working for the Rebels. They checked out, but Ripples wasn't having it, and she lunged at those guys to where they've still probably got scars left. Turns out they were Imp spies." Han smiled at the pitten's skill.

"How long have you known him?" Leia asked.

"I didn't meet him till about five standard years ago, but everyone in the smuggling business works with Zovri, since he can get good parts. I was lucky enough to be referred to him."

"I noticed he took jewels, not credits."

"Easier to hide and transport," Han said, with a nod. "He takes credits at the bar, but that's not his real business."

"You didn't negotiate with him, either," Leia pointed out.

"You don't negotiate with Zovri. It's flat pricing. But he's fair-to his clients. He'll do anything he can to hurt the Imps. This is his little way of evening the score."

"I wish every negotiation were so easy," Leia sighed. "I have a feeling the rest of them won't be."

"Not likely," Han agreed, trying not to stare at the neckline of her dress, wondering what those creamy breasts would look like fully exposed.

His moony-eyed meanderings were sharply interrupted by Chewie.

{There's someone outside,} the Wookiee growled.

Han's head came up sharply.

Leia had heard nothing, and clearly Han hadn't, either, but Chewie's hearing was incredibly sharp.

"Excuse us," Han said, his face intense, as he and Chewie headed for the cockpit to observe. Leia was not about to just sit there and followed along.

The three peered out the transparasteel, carefully surveying their surroundings.

{It's aft right now,} Chewie barked softly, his head cocked to one side, listening.

"What, or who, do you think it is?" Leia asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

"What're you doing up here?" Han hissed at her. "Stay back in the lounge!"

"I don't think so," Leia snapped, although she kept her voice down.

"I can guarantee you it's not friendly, whatever it is," Han said. He flicked a switch on the comm unit, opening a channel. "Traffic control, this is the YT-1300 on Platform 1674, requesting permission for departure." He hoped that they'd missed most of the departing shoppers.

{Bounty hunter!} Chewie arroowwfed, pointing at the figure now outside the bow end of the ship.

"Bossk. I hate that guy," Han groaned. "Traffic control?" He was still waiting for clearance, and wanted to shout, _Now_ _would be good!_

Bossk opened fire on the vessel, which, Han knew, was one of the drawbacks of waiting for traffic to wane. They'd planned to sleep over, but it appeared that that wasn't going to happen.

"Traffic control, Platform 1674, awaiting clearance!" Han called out, his voice urgent. "And get security out here!"

Bossk was firing on the fuselage, and while Han had no belief in deities, he was hoping with all his might that one might be there to tell them they could get the hell out. They had two choices: open the gangway and open fire on Bossk, which was likely to be an exercise in futility, or hope they'd get clearance before Bossk's weapons managed to do some serious damage to the _Falcon._ Han wasn't one to run from a fight, but in this case, it seemed prudent to avoid a direct encounter.

Besides, Leia might get hurt, and Han was going to do everything he could to make sure that that was not going to happen.

"Permission to depart, Platform 1674, YT-1300," came the controller's voice.

Han dropped into the pilot's seat and grabbed the yoke. Leia hurriedly took the seat behind him.

"Punch it!" he ordered Chewie, and the _Falcon_ sprang to life.


	11. Chapter 11

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 11

"Where to now?" Leia asked as they departed Atzerri's orbit.

"Cularin," Han said tersely. They would be moving into heavily Imperial- patrolled space shortly, and he wanted to make the jump to lightspeed at the first possible opportunity. Han was in no mood for conversation and even in less of one for arguing.

"It'll take us a while to get to the Expansion Rim," Leia observed. "And," she added grimly, "it's an Imperial world, with a heavy garrison presence."

"Do you think I don't know that? But, it'll be the best place to get provisions, both for us and for the fleet," Han remarked, scowling as he punched the coordinates into the navicomputer. "And I've got a contact there. He'll help us out."

"Well, if he's as good a friend as Zovri, we ought to do well. Assuming we don't attract Imperial attention," Leia said softly.

"Well, that's the tricky part, isn't it?" Han said, wincing. "But it's pretty hard to avoid the Imps most anywhere we go."

"I guess that's why we're at war with them," Leia sighed in response. "How long till we get there?"

"About eleven hours. You should get some sleep, Princess," Han told her in a peremptory tone.

"I'll get some sleep. You may not believe it, but I do realize when I'm tired," she shot back.

"No. You don't," Han countered

Leia scowled at him, mostly out of habit. Of course she knew when she was tired, but sleep had a nasty habit of eluding her. Still, she'd managed nine hours the other night, and right now she was worn out from a very long day.

"I'll go to my quarters after we go to lightspeed," Leia relented.

"Yeah, I'll probably do the same," Han muttered. He'd moved into the hyper-alert state that he

employed while scanning for patrols and pirates. Nothing, not even Leia with her pretty dress and loose hair, could distract him at this point.

"Chewie, you want to split watch once we get to lightspeed?" he asked his copilot.

{You sleep, cub. You're getting too grouchy,} Chewie informed Han, his tone a warning one.

"I am NOT grouchy!" Han snapped back. "I'm trying to make sure we don't run into Imperials, pirates, or any other lowlife scum before we can get to lightspeed, and you're supposed to be doing the same!"

{I AM doing the same!} Chewie retorted, shaking his head and grumbling something uncomplimentary about human moodiness.

The fact was that Han really was irritable and exhausted. A day at Traders' Plaza had left him worn out. He hated the company of that many beings packed together, and being bumped all day by various species, weapons, and shopping containers was not his idea of a great time. Also, despite the fact that he'd played it very cool, going to Zovri's was always a little unnerving. Han had been grateful that Leia had been with him; it had given him a good excuse for opting out of sabacc. While Zovri served good drinks and only entertained serious players in his tavern, he also drank far too much, letting his paranoia and anger rise to the surface, and he was vocal about both. Han didn't blame him, but he really hated the endless ramblings that went on until Zovri either ran down or passed out, whichever came first. While Zovri did honest business, he wasn't the easiest person to get along with. Han had left that part out for Leia.

And kriffing Bossk, disrupting a great dinner, if the chef did say so himself. Han was going to be really furious if that dumb bastard had damaged his girl in any way.

Sleep might actually be welcome—if they could get to lightspeed without being noticed. So far, they hadn't been, but things had gone a bit south with the appearance of Bossk.

Gods, he hated that guy.

But what made him angriest was that he'd been interrupted while having a wonderful dinner with a beautiful woman in a purple dress. He could have looked at her in that dress forever…

That thought was cut short by the appearance of two TIE fighters. Han groaned with frustration; he was not in the mood. They were almost ready to make the jump, they just needed a little more distance.

"They're aiming for us!" Leia exclaimed, as she craned her neck to look out the cockpit canopy.

"I see 'em!" Han snarled back. "Chewie, fire on my orders!"

{They've gone under the ship,} Chewie pointed out. {I'm going to use the belly gun.}

"I want to get a clean hit," Han said coolly. "Go ahead and open fire; drive 'em out and around."

Chewie complied, and Han waited for the TIE fighters to reappear. The belly gun might possibly injure the fighters, but not obliterate them, which was Han's plan. Concussion missiles were good for that.

A shot hit the _Falcon's_ port hull, knocking everyone about.

 _Helluva_ _way to end what had been a pretty decent day,_ Han muttered to himself as he prepared the missiles to fire. He'd been relaxed and content at dinner; now the adrenaline was flowing madly. Adrenaline rushes could be fun, but not when you were being shot at.

One of the fighters came round the bow and moved into attack position.

"Now!" Han hissed to himself, aiming a missile at the nimble little fighter.

It missed.

"Kriff!" Han swore angrily. "I'll get you, bastard!"

 _Here we go again,_ Leia sighed to herself, feeling the tension flood through her body. She wanted to do something—anything—but she knew that this was not the moment to distract Han. He was in shoot-to-kill mode, and that was what he needed to be at the moment.

Another shot hit the hull, this time clobbering the small freighter with considerable force, knocking the crew around hard enough to put their recently consumed meal at risk. Apparently one fighter had remained on the starboard side, attempting to disable the Falcon while his partner attacked.

Han had had enough. Chewie, who'd been firing laser blasts, continued away, and this time, when Han shot out a missile, the TIE fighter dissolved into chunks of space debris.

"What about the other one?" Leia asked, trying not to display alarm in her voice.

"It doesn't matter; we're going to lightspeed. Chewie, punch it!" All three held their collective breath until the stars began streaming by in white streaks.

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"I hope that surviving TIE fighter has no idea where we're going," Leia said quietly as she sat down on the battered banquette in the lounge. Funny, it was starting to feel like a comfortable place to relax, at least as much as she could at the moment.

"Yeah, well, we could be going anywhere, for all they know. I feel a little sorry for the pilot; we escaped and he's going to get a serious chewing out, if not worse." Han said, pouring himself two fingers of Corellian brandy. "You want some?" he asked, holding out the bottle.

"After that, I wouldn't mind a little," Leia admitted. "I hate it when I'm dead tired and then I get hit with an adrenaline rush."

"No, that wasn't fun," Han agreed. He clinked glasses with Leia. "To clear skies the rest of the way."

"Clear skies," Leia responded, hoping to the gods that it would be that way.

The two drank in silence. Chewie was off assessing whatever damage had been done to the ship. If it was significant, Han knew that sleep wouldn't be happening anytime soon; he hoped it had been minor. TIE fighters were nimble, but they weren't the most powerful in a firefight. They could inflict serious injury on a ship if they got lucky, though, especially to a somewhat decrepit little freighter.

"I have to ask," Leia spoke after a few minutes of what had been comfortable quiet, "was Zovri responsible for the sixty- five X -wings you procured?"

"He was the man," Han confirmed. "Not that he's likely to be able to pull that off twice."

"Tell him thank you next time you're in contact with him," Leia told him simply.

"You don't thank Zovri. You say, here's your payment. He was in a good mood when you saw him," Han informed her. "Which he isn't always. He'll still do business, but you won't leave feeling good about it."

"I feel horrible for him, losing his family," Leia said quietly.

"He's not the only one, sweetheart," Han said, but in a tender way that seemed to add _you lost yours, too._

"Everyone's lost something in this damned war," Leia sighed. "Friends, families- "

"Their minds," Han added, rolling his eyes. "By the way, Princess, Chewie wasn't the only one that got you something," he continued, as he reached into one of the small cupboards. He pulled out a large, dark chocolate bar. He shrugged as he told her, "I went into one of the sweet shops while you were in the ladies' fresher."

Leia's eyes lit up, which countered her chastising tone.

"You got chocolate and you were holding out on me?" she accused him, but she broke into laughter.

"Well, I'd planned to surprise you at dessert, but our dinner plans went a bit haywire," Han commented, handing it to her. "All yours."

Leia carefully opened the bar, which was substantial. "Oh my gods, extra dark, my favorite." Chocolate was a rare delicacy, the dark kind especially so, and not inexpensive. Han's thoughtfulness wasn't lost on the princess. "Do you want some?" she asked him, offering him the bar.

"Nah, don't have much of a sweet tooth. Didn't have much opportunity for treats growing up," Han said.

Leia's heart tightened a little, thinking about Han's childhood, which had been as different from hers as was possible. "Alderaan is known for its sweets and pastries," was all she said, popping a square into her mouth. "I had them all the time. It's a horrible habit. I'm worried that someday it might catch up with me."

"Glad you like it. Enjoy," Han told her, giving her a smile that wasn't taunting.

They were interrupted by Chewie, who gave Han a damage report.

"Not as bad as it could have been," Han informed Leia, when the Wookiee had finished. "Why don't you get some sleep, Princess?"

"I can help you with repairs," Leia offered.

"Nah, we really didn't take a hard hit," Han told her. "I'll be crashing out soon. Go ahead."

"You're sure?" Leia asked, half wanting to help and half wanting to eat more chocolate and head to her quarters.

"Yeah, we got this one," Han assured her. "By the way, you look beautiful. You should wear girls' clothes all the time."

"It's a little hard to when you're fighting a war," Leia informed him. "But thank you."

Han winked at her as he and Chewie headed for the repair bays.

Leia's feelings regarding the smuggler were more confused than ever. Especially since he was actually being nice to her.

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"All right, let's get this baby back together," Han groaned as they entered the equipment bay for the port stabilizer.

{You really like her,} Chewie awwroowed, without missing a beat as he fired up a welding torch.

"Will you shut up already?" Han snarled back. His feelings for the Princess were, well, complicated. Han wasn't one to share his emotions, and although Chewie was his best friend, he still was loathe to discuss them, especially when he wasn't sure what they were at this point.

Chewie burst into laughter. {You've got it bad, cub.}

"I do NOT have it 'bad,' whatever 'it' is!" Han shot back.

They began to work, but Chewie continued laughing. {C'mon, face it. You're in love!}

Han glared at him. "And what makes you an expert on how I feel?"

{I'm with you all the kriffing time! I know you!}

Han was growing more and more annoyed with his faithful friend.

"I don't comment on your love life, pal!" he snapped. Han was assessing what had been damaged on the stabilizer, determining what needed doing, and what tools were required. The conversation was fast becoming an unwelcome distraction from the business at hand, which he really wanted to complete as rapidly as possible.

{I'm married,} Chewie reminded him, refusing to be put off. {And I've never said anything other than that I love Malla.}

"Yeah, well, things get complicated between humans," Han muttered crossly.

{I've noticed.}

"Congratulations on your amazing powers of observation," Han sniped.

{Why don't you just tell her you like her?} Chewie cocked his head.

Han, pulling some tools together, looked at Chewie as if the giant Wookiee had gone mad. "In case you haven't noticed, she's hell-bent on winning this crazy war. It's all she thinks about."

{You didn't answer my question.}

"Oh, right, I go up to her and say, Princess, I really like you and I want to be with you. Sure."

{Why not?} Chewie shrugged.

"She's a princess! She's the face of the revolution! You're an idiot!" Han was trying to concentrate on making the repairs as quickly as possible and didn't really want to discuss the matter. Chewie could be irritating sometimes, and this was one of them.

{She likes you, too,} Chewie said, his tone serious this time.

"Oh, c'mon, Chewie, most of the time she can't stand me!"

{She's been really nice on this trip. She likes being with you. I could tell at Traders' Plaza.}

"We were just trying to make a decent day out of a lousy expedition," Han protested as he lowered himself down into the repair access. His feet were sore from traipsing around all day, and he wasn't looking forward to engaging in the various contortions necessary to repair the damage.

{I saw you having kaf. You guys looked like a couple.} Chewie worked with the welding torch, not looking up, but continuing to converse with Han, although Han thought it was starting to resemble harassment.

Finally, Han decided he'd heard enough from his friend. He was in the stabilizer bay, hot, dirty, tired, and not in the mood for repairs, or Chewie's 'insights.' "Chewie, we're on a mission, okay? It's nice that for the most part she hasn't been biting my head off, but that doesn't mean she likes me, okay? So shut up and work!" Hearing the possibility that Leia might actually like him was was playing havoc with both his brain and his heart, and he was too tired to deal with the possibility

right now.

{Let's finish up. Then please go to bed,} Chewie pleaded. {You're such a grump. Especially when you're in love.} The Wookiee gave a fiendish smile, his sharp white teeth bared as he chuckled.

Han raised himself up and waggled a stiff finger under Chewie's nose. "Last time I checked, I was the captain, and I gave the orders, and I'm ordering you to shut up!" He lowered himself back into the pit and continued to work on the partially disabled stabilizer.

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Exhaustion washed over Leia like a wave in one of Aldreraan's oceans as she laid back on the bunk. Her feet felt better, having spent sometime sans shoes, but the rest of her really needed some sleep, and she wasn't going to fight it. She only hoped that she could rest as well as she had on the journey to Kallistas.

She didn't want to wrinkle the dress, though; she hoped she'd have a chance to wear it again soon. With great effort, she pulled herself upright and grabbed her duffel from the small storage cabinet, pulling out her tatty grey sleep shirt. The sight of the rough fabric, growing thin from incessant laundering, depressed her. Gods only knew how many women had worn it before her. Not that she expected special treatment; this was wartime and that was the way things were. But she did miss the luxurious fabrics that had comprised her sleepwear while she'd been growing up, and then as a senator.

 _I can be very shallow_ _sometimes_ _,_ she admitted to herself with a wry smile.

She sat back down on the small bunk, where she'd slept so well previously. It was, she had to admit, more comfortable than the cot in her quarters. It was utilitarian, but there was an unexpectedly homelike quality to it. It was lived in, quiet, a place to retreat to.

Leia stared at the folded garment at the foot of the bunk. It was Han's robe, which somehow had never made it back to the 'fresher. She ran her hand over the soft fabric. In times past she might not have thought the material had such a fine hand to it, but life on the front lines had changed her perceptions of a lot of things.

The most alarming of those discoveries was that her perceptions of the captain of this vessel—if the _Falcon_ could be dignified with such a term—were shifting, and in a direction that was both unfamiliar and just a little frightening. Yes, she'd always found him handsome—how could she not? And it was in a real, very masculine sort of fashion that she found appealing. He wasn't pretty, like some of the princes and playboys she'd known, who often went to great lengths to make themselves, at least in their eyes, more physically appealing. Leia would have preferred that

they'd have worked more on their character, but Han didn't need work in that department, either; he had more than any being should be allowed , she thought ruefully.

And in a weird way, she liked that about him.

What was most disconcerting was that when they were alone, he was considerate and even gentle. Yes, he still teased her mercilessly—and she made sure she gave back as good as she got—but he was not intimidated by her status. That was rare, and she appreciated it.

Leia took the folded robe and pressed it against her chest, sinking her chin down into it, feeling its warmth and softness.

There was no way she was going to sleep in her regulation nightshirt this time.

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"We've done as much as we can do here," Han said wearily as he and Chewie cleaned up after themselves, stocking tools back in their bins and wiping lubricants off of themselves. "I'm going to bed."

{Good,} Chewie arroowfed. {I'm on watch.}

"Thanks," Han muttered gruffly. He was worn out and grubby. There was lubricant all over his clothing and in his hair. His hands were black. A shower and sleep would be very welcome indeed.

He clambered heavily up from the repair bay, his limbs aching. He had considered a quick sonic shower, but tonight necessitated a water one, and a hot one at that.

On his way to his quarters, Han stood before the door to the crew quarters.

He would give anything to see her sleeping again. When he'd seen her the night before, Leia had looked so peaceful, so angelic. His heart had burst with love and protectiveness when he'd gazed at her.

What if she was awake? _That might not,_ he considered, _be such a pleasant encounter._ Leia was a private woman. He could understand that; he was a private person himself.

Deciding to risk it, he opened the door. Sliding it only a few centimeters, the dull light in the passageway glowed in just enough that he could see Leia peacefully asleep, her long curtain of hair falling about her...and wearing his robe.

Han wondered how she looked under the robe. He imagined her full breasts, curvy hips and creamy skin. All he wanted to do was crawl in next to her, take her in his arms, and hold her close to him. There were other things he'd like to do, of course, but he'd take simply embracing her and breathing in her scent, feeling her warmth. And her wearing his robe felt strangely-and delightfully-intimate.

 _And besides, it looks better on her,_ he thought, smiling.


	12. Chapter 12

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 12

Even with the heavy presence of Imperial patrols in the area, the _Falcon_ made it into the landing queue without incident. Getting clearance to land was equally simple; Han only had to tell planetary traffic control that the purpose of their visit was social and they were given a slot. Chewie and Leia got a good laugh out of that one—as soon as Han cut the link.

"Well, we are visiting friends. More or less," Han said, a half-smile teasing his lips. They were still laughing as the _Falcon_ touched down on the landing pad in Hedrett, which was adjacent to the capital city of Gadrin. All three were uneasy about this particular stop, but the laughter helped break the tension.

"Here's the plan," Han continued, as his hands moved automatically, shutting the ship's systems down to standby. "We're going to see this guy Caomhanach, who's not actually a friend, but close enough to one that I can do business with him. He's got a food distribution business that serves the Empire, but since he's mostly interested in making as many credits as he can as fast as he can, he'll do business with anyone."

"Will he keep his mouth shut?" Leia asked warily. "He could make a lot of money by turning us in."

"I think so. He'd better, or he's not going to be the head of his company for very long," Han said in a menacing tone.

{I'll rip his head off,} Chewie assured his friend.

"Let's see what he tries to rip us off for first," Han cautioned him. "But he's the best source for decent stuff."

Leia remained skeptical. "And you know this how?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I'd rather not say," was Han's terse response. Leia would have preferred knowing more about the person they were going to meet, but it was clear that Han wasn't in the mood for sharing.

"I wish they were all as nice as Zovri," she sighed.

"You saw Zovri while he was sober. Once he starts drinking-and he drinks a lot-he's nowhere near as nice. But he'll get us what we need." Han twisted in his seat to look the princess in the eye. "Unfortunately, Your Highnessness, you're the enemy, and that means we have to meet with beings you'd ordinarily run to the other side of the street to get away from."

Leia nodded. Han was correct; being an outlaw wasn't glamorous, and one didn't get the optimum choice of vendors in the Alliance's situation. But she had a war to win, and whatever it took, she was going to do it.

"We're going to need a speeder," Han went on, getting to his feet. "Public transit in this place is a joke. Fortunately, there's a rental place here at the spaceport, and I'm going for an ugly one. Where we're going we'll be less conspicuous that way," he explained.

"Well, it's not as if we have a lot of spare credits lying around, anyway," Leia conceded, as she, too, headed toward the back of the ship. "And if it keeps us anonymous, more the better."

{Just make sure it's got some legroom,} Chewie growled, following along behind the two humans. {The last one you rented, I had my knees stuffed up to my chin!}

"Comfort was not a factor in that decision," Han pointed out. He palmed open the main bulkhead hatch and started down the ramp.

{Obviously,} the Wookiee grumbled as he shuffled along with Han and Leia toward the rental area.

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There were several speeder rental companies located on the outside perimeter of the spaceport. Some boasted luxury rentals; the three didn't even stop to consider doing business there. Han led them into Crazy Cav's Super Discount Speeder Rentals, which was a dingy plasticine kiosk, most likely blasterproof, Leia figured. A grumpy Devaronian with one broken horn was seated behind a warped counter.

"Hey Cav," Han greeted him. "Whaddya got that's cheap and ugly?"

"Everything, you idiot," Cav snarled. "You've been here before. You know what I got."

"I'll take the cheapest and ugliest," Han announced, glaring back at Cav.

"Credits first," Cav reminded him. Han pushed a few credit chits towards the Devaronian, who studied them suspiciously. "Space two-twenty-seven." Cav shoved a small device, presumably containing the codes to operate the speeder, across the counter. "Damage is extra," he reminded them.

"Have a nice day, Cav," Han couldn't resist flashing a grin at the crabby owner. The three proceeded to the speeder lot in search of the designated space.

"My, what a charming individual," Leia remarked, as they wended their way through the lot.

"Yeah, I meet a lot of those," Han muttered. "Must be my amazing personality." He was focused on the lot numbers, which were so worn down they were almost unreadable.

Leia barked a laugh. "You definitely have personality. I'm not sure if I'd call it amazing." However she was smiling as she said it, so when Han turned to glare at her, he softened a bit.

Leia noticed that Cav's speeders appeared to be the ground transportation equivalent of the Falcon, at least in terms of looks. She hope they behaved better; the last thing they needed was a breakdown, which could draw Imperial attention, and there were plenty of Imperials to be wary of on Cularin.

After searching through most of the lot, they finally located space two-twenty-seven. Leia used her diplomatic training to keep her expression neutral, but she was appalled by the vehicle occupying the assigned space.

It was, to put it mildly, a wreck.

"That's going to fall apart before we get it out of the spaceport," Leia pointed out.

{It's so small! That's as bad as the last one we got.} Chewie roared.

"We're not exactly traveling on an unlimited budget," Han reminded the Wookiee irritably. "Deal with it."

{And you had to get a covered one.} Chewie continued with an irritated groan.

"It's probably safer that way," Leia said, trying to soothe the annoyed Wookiee, even as she wondered how the three of them were going to cram themselves into the tiny speeder. To say that it was cramped was putting it lightly. For once, Leia was grateful for being small. It was obvious she was going to have to take the rear seat; there was no way Chewie would be able to wedge himself back there.

{This is even worse than the last one,} Chewie moaned miserably. {I can't fit!}

"Princess, I know it's not very dignified, but you get in first," Han instructed her, opening the latches.

At least I'm wearing pants, Leia thought to herself as she folded herself awkwardly into the rear seat of the speeder. She squirmed and wriggled until she found the least uncomfortable position possible: sitting sideways with her knees up under her chin and her feet on the seat. The upholstery was dirty and torn, and Leia feared what might be growing on it or in it. There was an empty kaf cup, but she hadn't actually seen anything alive back there. Yet. The canopy of the speeder was slanted so low in back that she couldn't possibly sit up straight.

They were going to make a spectacle of themselves when they got out again, Leia grumbled to herself.

Chewie, in the meantime, had banged his head twice trying to work his way in, which he was still engaged in attempting to accomplish. His anger was rising.

{We need something bigger!} Chewie yowled at Han as he made his third attempt to shove his body into the cramped space. {Can't you get something else?}

"You paying for it?" Han asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

{I would if I had credits!} Chewie sent whatever portion of their profits Han insisted he take back to Kashyyyk-and he refused to take much.

Leia knew the vehicle was far too small—though Han would never admit it—but even seating himself was taking considerable effort. She had to cover her mouth so that neither Han nor Chewie could see her smirk. Han was a graceful creature and watching him struggle to cram himself into the pilot's seat was amusing.

And she had gotten a very nice view of his ass. _His very nice ass,_ she thought, before she promptly scolded herself.

With much physical exertion, cursing, and yowling, Han and Chewie were ensconced, very snugly, into the front of the decrepit speeder. Han's first attempt to get its engines humming resulted in...nothing.

 _This is going to be a disaster,_ Leia thought irritably. The last thing they needed was to attract attention to themselves with a problematic speeder. She wanted to suggest that Han request a different vehicle, but she was all too aware that Han wasn't the sort to give up without a fight, no matter what the fight was. He was determined to get the speeder started, and after numerous tries, accompanied by no small amount of cursing, the engine clicked on. However, that ended any promise of a smooth ride; the speeder choked and sputtered angrily at being forced to come to life.

"It'll smooth out," Han assured his uneasy riders. However, no sooner had he gotten it out of its space then the engine decided to get its revenge by delivering one harsh, final-sounding clunk, followed by silence.

"Somehow, I don't think it will," Leia said, trying to keep her temper in check. The day was going to be difficult enough as it was, without any more arguing with Han than was absolutely necessary.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that." Han agreed, carefully extricating himself from the very dead speeder and stalking over to Cav's kiosk. He was not pleased. Cav's vehicles weren't high quality, but even the Devorian's less than stellar speeders usually ran.

Cav glared at Han as he stood in front of the kiosk; Han tapped his foot restlessly. "You know, I asked for cheap and ugly, but I didn't ask for nonfunctional."

Cav shrugged. "You get what you pay for."

"I paid for a working speeder. Now give me one," Han snapped at him. "A little more headroom and legroom might work, too."

"Costs extra," Cav retorted.

"I came in for a working vehicle and you failed to supply one," Han pointed out. "Now point me to something cheap, ugly, large enough for a two-meter tall Wookiee," he paused, leaning over the counter until his nose nearly touched the plasticene barrier. "And one that runs."

"Costs extra," Cav reiterated, looking increasingly annoyed. "Thirty-five credits more."

"Fifteen," Han immediately snarled back. "You ripped me off already."

"Thirty-five, and that's my final offer," growled the irritable Devaronian."

"Twenty," Han countered. He was not going to pay thirty-five credits extra. "And I'm being generous."

"Thirty-five," the Devaronian muttered.

Han hated being ripped off; having been poor all of his life, he detested wasting credits with the passion of a thousand white hot suns. On the other hand, if he continued to argue with the Devaronian, it might raise enough suspicion that someone would call in to Imperial Security, and that would cause a bigger world of hurt for all of them—especially Leia. Since there was no way in all of the nine hells he was going to let that happen, he grudgingly slid the credits into the tray.

"There's forty there, and you'd better give me five back," Han snarled. "And a decent speeder."

Wordlessly, Cav slipped a five credit chit back to Han, along with the code to the new speeder. "Space two-oh-one. And damages cost extra!"

"Thank you," Han said, in a tone that indicated he meant anything but.

"Kriff you," Cav mumbled.

Han noted, as he went back to where the first speeder had died, that Chewie and Leia had extricated themselves from the errant vehicle. "We've got another one," he announced. "Space two-oh-one, if we can find it." Once again, the three searched the ground with its nearly-invisible space numbers and finally located it.

The new speeder was, if possible, even more hideously ugly than the previous one and no cleaner, but at least it was more spacious. Chewie arroorwed his approval, and Leia climbed easily into the rear seat.

"Now let's hope it doesn't die on us before we get out of the lot. Or after," Leia said tartly as Han and Chewie took their respective seats, with considerably less effort than with the previous speeder. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Won't we stand out as badly in this beater as we would have in a luxury one?"

"Not where we're going, Princess. Trust me," Han said, his mouth set in a grim line. "And stay down. We're going to have to run the gauntlet on this one." The gauntlet, of course, being the Imperial troops that seemed to be stationed everywhere. Leia was growing increasingly anxious. She wished that Han could have chosen a different planet, but she admitted that it was getting harder and harder to avoid the presence of Imperial garrisons nearly anywhere they went.

Han steered the speeder over the bridge into Gadrin, the capital city. Leia knew there were few capitals that could rival Aldera for their beauty and well-considered layouts, but she was aghast at what she saw. Ahead of them was a giant sprawl of grim buildings, with no apparent design whatsoever, with a brownish-grey cloud of pollution hanging in the sky over it all. Distant smokestacks spewed their filth into the sky. She knew that Cularin was an industrial world, but clearly, concerns about protecting the planet's environment were, from all appearances, nonexistent.

"Chewie, check the comm link, see if you can get a fix on where there are checkpoints so we can avoid them," Han instructed the Wookiee, whose mood had improved considerably once they'd acquired a more comfortable-if it could be called that-vehicle. Maintenance was clearly not high on Cav's list of priorities; the speeder rattled on its worn-out repulsors, but at least the engine appeared to be running smoothly. Han briefly turned to Leia as if to stave off any objections from the princess. "I know where we're going. I'd just like to get there without having our day ruined."

Leia couldn't argue with that. Unfortunately, avoiding Imperial encounters was one of her priorities in life, and had most likely become so for Han and Chewie. Their mere association with the Rebels could be dangerous for them.

Han had always been very vocal about his unwillingness to commit to the cause. By his own admission, he was still, first and foremost, a smuggler—though he preferred to call himself a businessman—and yet he took risk after risk in order to help them. He claimed it was because he liked the beings, but Han wasn't the sort to stick around just for the company and a few good times.

His motivations were a mystery to Leia, and she knew that asking him would yield nothing but a sarcastic, uninformative retort. He was, if nothing else, a very closed-mouth man. His reasons were his own and he didn't share.

It irritated her sometimes.

"I thought this place was ugly from a distance," Leia commented as they made their way through the grimy, unkempt back streets. The poverty she saw clutched at her heart; calling their present location a slum would have been charitable. She saw children running around sans shoes and proper warm clothing-the day was quite cool-and the buildings appeared to be crumbling.

 _When we win,_ she promised herself, _those kids will have clothing, shoes, and good schools. That's why we're fighting this war._ Once again, she felt purposeful and renewed. It was easy to become angry and depressed during wartime, but seeing these children out and about served as a sharp reminder for the princess to focus.

The residential complexes were intermixed with industrial buildings. Even with the canopy closed, the acrid smells penetrated the speeder's interior.

{My eyes are burning,} Chewie reminded Han sharply.

"Just stay sharp," Han muttered to him, concentrating on not becoming lost in the maze. "I know the air's bad here."

Leia remained quiet, keeping a wary eye out for Stormtroopers. She'd seen a few stray ones, and she knew Han had seen them as well; he was being careful to steer away from them. He'd managed to avoid major clusters of them by staying out of the downtown area, the most crowded part of the city.

"You know there are Sith here," Leia said quietly to Han and Chewie, trying to keep her voice level and calm. The Tarasins were Force-sensitive beings indigenous to Cularin.

"Yeah, well, they don't know about us, and we're not going to run into them," Han said gruffly.

 _They probably know about Luke,_ Leia thought unhappily. But at least he wasn't with them. That made her feel somewhat better.

Han turned slowly down another street. To everyone's horror, they came across several Stormtroopers who were beating up a group of Wookiee children. The children had to have been very young; most of them weren't as tall as Leia. Chewie roared angrily and ordered Han to stop the speeder, which Han immediately did. Leia shared in their fury as she pulled out her blaster, opening fire on the Stormtroopers with the same fiery intensity as Han, and Chewie's bowcaster had already blasted one of the Stormtroopers into a burning pile. One of the stormtroopers whom they hadn't yet eliminated was calling for backup. Han took one final, deadly shot, and the stormtrooper tumbled to the ground. The Wookiee kids scattered from the street, but waved and arroowred to the three as they scrambled back to the speeder.

{Get inside!} Chewie ordered the young Wookiees. {More Stormtroopers are coming!} The youngsters scattered toward their homes, taking cover as quickly as their young legs would carry them.

"Let's get out of here before reinforcements arrive!" Leia hissed. She was furious with the Stormtroopers-abusing children, of all things! Then again, the Empire was noted for its maltreatment of those not human.

"Now that really pissed me off," Han snarled as he hurried away. "They're just kids!"

{Wookiee kids,} Chewie reminded him, his anger still blazing. {They were probably just playing in the street!}

"I know, Chewie," Leia said softly, placing her tiny hand on Chewie's giant shoulder.

{If those kids are found, they're going to be sold as slaves!} Chewie's wrath was not abated.

"I hate child abuse! Hate it!" Han said with a vehemence that took Leia aback. She really hadn't known how Han felt about children; now she had some insight. And the power of his statement made her wonder if he didn't have personal experience in that area. "I can forgive a lot, but not that!"

"The Empire's treatment of children is horrible," Leia agreed. "Everything they do, educationally, socially, emotionally, is only for the purpose of breeding more little stormtroopers, instead of allowing them to grow up normally. My mother was the Minister of Education on Alderaan, and everything the Empire does violates all that she knew to be true-and tried to implement throughout her lifetime."

"Yeah, well, I ever catch anyone or anything in the act of going after a kid, any kid, they'll feel the business end of my blaster," Han snapped. He let out a long breath. "We're almost there. So far I don't see anyone following us. Chewie, I know you're upset, but you're gonna have to keep it together for this. Later on we'll have a drink and you can howl away."

Leia knew how hard it was for an upset Wookiee to be calm, but Chewie put forth his best efforts.

The speeder approached what looked to be a warehouse that had seen better days. Steam seeped out of the ceiling and the back door. There were no windows. Han slowed down gently, looking for a discreet place to park.

"Is this the place?" Leia asked uneasily.

"Sadly, yes," Han admitted.

"And how well do you know your contact?"

"Well enough to know that he loves credits even more than food. And he likes food a lot. You'll see."


	13. Chapter 13

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 13

The door was open-wide open. Han didn't like it, but it was the same as it had been every other time he'd done business with Caomhanach Tashal, the proprietor of said food distribution business. He hoped that there were no visitors from the Empire in the office, but he suspected that all of their Imperial business was automated and that Caomhanach would only receive a personal visit if his client was dissatisfied. Han also suspected it didn't happen often; otherwise, Caomhanach and his business would have long since been obliterated, right along with the building that housed it. The Empire was not a forgiving customer.

"How do you know this contact of yours?" Leia asked as quietly as she could, and still be heard above the hiss of machinery that packaged items for transport and sale. There were a few droids working the conveyors and sorters, but no organics were in evidence.

"He used to be a pirate," Han shrugged.

"I thought you hated pirates!" she hissed.

"Some of 'em are all right. Not many of 'em, but some," Han said.

"And is this one that you consider 'all right?'" Leia asked irritably.

"He's in it for the money." Han stopped in his tracks and rounded on the princess. "We don't exactly have a lot of choices with whom we do business, Your Highnessness!" he reminded her sharply.

{He's the fattest guy you'll ever meet!} Chewie told Leia, in an attempt to soothe her, or at least distract her.

"Which means he can't run very fast if it gets nasty," Han added as he moved forward again, leading them through the factory and to a lift that would carry them up what turned out to be several floors.

"I suppose that could be advantageous," Leia replied dubiously.

"Well, let's make sure he's not on visual comm before we go in," Han remarked quietly.

They treaded softly down a corridor to what appeared to be a transparisteel-enclosed office. Unlike Cav's battered kiosk, however, and in contrast to the factory floor, the office was large and opulent. The carpeting was lush and thick, the sofa was oversized and looked as if one could sink into it, and behind the finest ch'hala wood desk was the most corpulent human Leia had ever observed. His eyes were glued to an oversized data screen, and he didn't appear to be communicating with anyone. That was a relief.

Han stepped in first. "Caomhanach, been a long time," he greeted the former pirate.

Caomhanach's face popped up from his nonexistent neck and was painted with a look of complete surprise. "Han Solo. As the day is long, I never thought I'd see you walking through my door." Han motioned Leia and Chewie in. "What're you doing here?"

"Doing business," Han said tersely.

"Still traveling with the Wook, I see." Chewie bared his teeth but made no moves. Caomhanach's eyes then traveled to Leia, ogling her in a way that made her feel violated. "Well, well, I see you've changed your ways. You never traveled with ladies before."

"I'm not here to comment on my personal life," Han responded, his tone businesslike. "We're looking to supply the Alliance with consumables."

Caomhanach's eyebrows soared. "You've joined the Alliance?"

"No, I'm an independent contractor working for them, and they need to eat and drink." Han wasn't feeling particularly patient with Caomhanach. "That's where you come in."

Caomhanach tapped the desk with his very thick fingers. To Leia, he looked like a giant slug, and he didn't smell particularly good. But, as Han said, they had to deal with beings they'd ordinarily go out of their way to avoid. She had a very bad feeling about this particular being.

Due to the cool temperature on planet, Leia had brought the wrap Chewie had purchased for her. Now she was doubly glad she had it. Not only did Caomhanach keep his office only a few degrees warmer than Hoth—though he was still sweating profusely—but she felt that the less Caomhanach could discern of her face the better. She wouldn't put it past him to mention to his Imperial friends that someone who looked just like the most-wanted Leia Organa of Alderaan had visited his establishment.

"So what're you buying?" Caomhanach finally asked, getting out a datapad.

Han rattled off the entire list. Leia was impressed; he'd already amazed her with his memory of parts and hardware, but she hadn't been sure if that ran as far as comestibles.

 _He may be crazy, reckless and mercenary,_ Leia mused, _but he's a lot more intelligent than he tries to let on._

"And I want a fifteen percent discount," Han added. This request made Caomhanach roar with laughter.

"You want a discount?" the former pirate asked, multiple chins wobbling with the strength of his guffaws.

"I happen to know you give the Imps twenty-five percent," Han shot back. "We're giving you a good deal here."

Caomhanach continued to roar with laughter. "Solo, you always were a cheap bastard."

"Just trying to get the most for the credits we've got which, by the way, aren't unlimited," Han retorted. _What is wrong with these idiots,_ he grumbled to himself. _Can't blame a guy for trying to stretch a credit. Isn't everyone?_

"It costs extra for...discretion," Caomhanach said in an oily voice, as he looked pointedly at the princess's shrouded form. It made Leia's skin crawl. But it did a lot more than that for Chewie; the giant Wookiee leapt to his feet and let out a roar that may well have been heard a solar system away. His teeth bared, he let Caomhanach know in no uncertain terms what he thought of the last statement he made, and while Caomhanach may not have been fluent in Shyriiwook, he got the gist of Chewie's threats.

"Okay, okay!" Caomhanach shouted at the Wookiee. He glared at Han. "Fifteen percent discount for you, and a bonus of ten percent for me."

Chewie raised a giant paw in the merchant's general direction, threatening to remove Caomhanach's head or any of his various limbs.

"No on the ten percent, obviously," Han remarked dryly.

"Five," Caomanach countered.

"Fifteen percent discount, no bonus, and you get to keep your mouth shut and your head on," Han informed him sharply. "Because if you don't, Chewie and I will be back, and it won't be for another round of business. You're getting a more than fair price. Now get your droids moving so we can pack the ship."

Caomhanach cursed under his breath before he clicked a few kehys and sent the order to the distribution center. He indicated that the ship would be packed in two hours.

Han was tempted to press for less time, but he'd gotten almost the price he'd hoped for and besides, and even with Chewie's assistance, he knew that pissing off the old pirate was asking for trouble.

"We done here?" Caomhanach asked irritably.

"We're done," Han said, motioning to Chewie and Leia. "Always a pleasure doing business with you," he added tartly.

"I never liked you, Solo," growled Caomhananch.

Han couldn't help but smirk. "Likewise!"

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"We need to be back at the ship at 1145," Han informed Chewie and Leia. "I was thinking we'd hit my favorite spot here in Gadrin." They stepped out of the factory and into the cold, polluted air.

"Please tell me we're not going to a sabacc game or a cantina," Leia groaned. "Gods! That person gave me the creeps! Talk about slimy!" She shuddered as they headed for the speeder, partly from the cold and partly from their encounter with Caomhanach. Han was right; he was someone she'd have gone out of her way to get away from.

"He's a lowlife scum, all right, but he's scum that'll take our credits and he's got pretty good stuff for the price," Han admitted. "And no, we are NOT friends."

"That was pretty obvious," Leia indicated. "I'm glad I had the wrap. It was freezing in his office!"

"He's well-insulated, in case you didn't notice," Han remarked. "Unlike you, Your Highnessness."

"Very funny, Flyboy," she snapped back. "So where are we going?"

"Nenmo's, of course," Han said happily as he clicked the keypad code for the speeder. Leia climbed nimbly into the back, and Han and Chewie dropped into their seats in front.

"Of course," Leia observed sarcastically. "And just what is Nenmo's?"

Han grinned at her as he turned the engine on. "You'll see."

Chewie just rolled his eyes.

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Leia was hoping that whatever Nenmo's was, maybe they'd end up in a better part of town-if there was one-but no such luck; Han slowed the speeder on a block of storefronts, many of which were no longer in business. Finally, the speeder stopped. "We're here," Han said, with considerably more cheer than he had before they'd visited Caomhanach's factory.

"This is where Nenmo's is?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, he's just a couple storefronts up." They had parked in front of a derelict-looking taverna that had odd, unpleasant music and even more disagreeable odors emanating from it. There were no visible Imperials, for which all were grateful, but, as Han explained, if the Imps did show up, they'd be more likely to look for them in a cantina. "This way," he motioned, with Leia behind him and Chewie behind the princess.

Leia had to admit that she'd never had more attentive bodyguards, and she'd had quite a few of them in her lifetime, including some who'd tried to make passes at her. Fortunately, she'd become quite adept at avoiding the unwanted attention.

Han had never made the attempt, not that she had ever expected him to. They were friends, nothing more, when they weren't adversaries. Still—Leia found herself watching the twitch of Han's hips as he walked in front of her—there were moments. She failed to stifle a slight giggle.

Han turned his face to Leia. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, regaining her composure. She'd been tempted to say that she was having terrible thoughts, but Han wouldn't have let up until she told him what those terrible thoughts were. Then, even if she lied, she'd never hear the end of it.

"Here we are," Han announced a few paces later. They were in front of a very neglected building with a crude wooden sign reading, 'Nenmo's Curios.' "It's in the back." The floorboards creaked and groaned as the three walked across them.

Leia nearly gasped when they arrived at the 'shop;' it looked more like a room where a clan of Jawas lived than anything resembling a shop. Most of the merchandise appeared to be something that junk collectors would have refused, at least from what she could see.

Leia recognized the scent of a Toydarian who flew out into the room. "Solo!" The Toydarian cried out with genuine pleasure.

 _Well, at least someone's happy to see us,_ Leia mused as she saw Han grin at the creature. Zovri had been friendly enough, but he had been clear that he considered doing business to be anything but a pleasure. And Caomhanach had been downright testy, and someone she'd like to avoid in the future, if at all possible.

"Nenmo, what's new?" Han asked the insectoid-appearing being. Toydarians were mammals, but they didn't look it. "Got anything for me special?"

"Not today, but…" Nenmo began.

"I'm sure you'll find something," Han finished for him with a smile; Nenmo grinned back. It seemed obvious to Leia that the two went through the same lines every time they met.

Chewie offered the Toydarian a friendly greeting. Han had not introduced Leia to Nenmo, but Leia understood that it wasn't rudeness; he was trying to protect her as much as possible. Nenmo turned to her. "Hello, young lady! Is this your first time at Nenmo's?"

"Yes, it is," Leia said, smiling pleasantly. She still had the wrap draped over her head and shoulders.

"Any friend of Solo's is a friend of mine," he said heartily. "Come in back. We'll have some kaf. Cold out there today!"

Leia would have preferred that they finish whatever they were doing here as quickly as possible, but it was clear that this was Han's friend, and it would be rude to refuse. She followed Han and Chewie as they went with Nenmo.

The back room where Nenmo led them was no larger than a closet-admittedly, a walk-in closet-and as crammed as the shop itself. But there were four mismatched chairs, a small table, and a pot of aromatic kaf on the brewer. The kaf smelled freshly made. Nenmo poured four cups. Han and Leia both took a seat, leaving the most stable-looking chair for Chewie.

"I've got bantha milk if you want it," he offered.

"Thank you. That'd be nice," Leia said to him. He obliged by taking a small pitcher from the chiller and setting it in the center of the table.

"I'm sorry, young lady, but Solo's all bad manners. May I ask your name?" Nenmo inquired solicitously.

"Leia," she responded.

"It's good to meet you. Are you traveling with Solo?"

"We're...on a business trip," Leia explained carefully.

Nenmo scowled at Han. "She's classy. And pretty. Try to have better manners around her," he chastisted Han. "So what kind of business are you doing?"

"Working for the Alliance," Han said. "Trying to get all the things one needs to run a war. Parts, vehicles, ale, that sort of thing."

Leia's eyebrows quirked up at the mention of ale, but she remained silent. Ale had been purchased at Caomhanach's, but it was the cheapest brew available, and she found it undrinkable. She wondered if Nenmo was able to provide better; she enjoyed a decent ale from time to time.

"You're in luck," Nenmo told him. "I have twelve cases of Dewback Dry I just got in." Dewback Dry was brewed on Tatooine; not the best ale in the galaxy by a long shot, but head and shoulders above the swill that was normally served on Rebel bases. "You want it?"

"For the right price," Han told him.

"Oh, come now, Solo, I never cheat you," Nenmo protested.

"You're smarter than to try," Han laughed. "Yeah, of course we'll take it!"

"I've also got a case of Emera wine. You interested?" Nenmo asked.

"Definitely," Han answered, his eyes darting toward Leia, then quickly away again. He recalled that Leia mentioned a fondness for Emara wine.

Leia relaxed as she sipped her kaf, which she had to admit was delicious. "Do you sell this blend?" she asked Nenmo, holding up her cup.

Nenmo chuckled. "I only have a few wrappers left-it's the one luxury I give myself-but I'll give you one to take."

"I'll pay you for it," Leia offered.

"No, that won't be necessary," Nenmo assured her. "It's not often I get such a lovely lady in my shop. I know who you are, Your Highness," he confessed with a confidential smile, "but believe me, I'm not about to turn you over to the bastard Imps. I hate 'em. If you're not human, you're not fit to live. Sometimes the soldiers come here, trying to make their lousy pay stretch out, and I feel kind of sorry for 'em. Of course, unemployment's a disaster here on Cularin, and they become troopers because hey, they still gotta eat and live indoors."

"Unemployment's terrible in a lot of places," Leia said, a note of anger in her voice. "It makes it easy for the Empire to buy their loyalty."

"Exactly," Nenmo agreed. "Once you finish your kaf, have a look around. I'm sure you'll find something you like."

Leia wasn't so sure, but Han had sworn that you could find some incredible treasures amidst a whole lot of worthless junk. Once she'd finished her kaf, she got up and began to investigate the shop. There was absolutely no rhyme nor reason to it; things seemed to be placed at random, and every last bit of space was crammed to overflowing. Just walking about was a challenge in and of itself.

"Solo, I've got a few board lengths of ch'hala wood you might like," Nenmo informed him.

Han cocked his head with interest. "They fall off the back of a hover lorry?" he laughed.

"Something like that," Nenmo chuckled. "Come over here, I'll show you." Han and Nenmo wandered to the back of the shop, while Leia and Chewie perused the goods. Leia was amazed that Nenmo would even attempt to sell a good many of the items, but she'd learned that what lacked value to one soul might be a treasure to another.

"Nice stuff," Leia heard Han say from the back, while she looked through a box of kitchen tools. They were well beyond their better days, but she realized that they might well be all that someone could afford. The crushing financial burdens that most populations faced these days infuriated her.

The more she moved through the piles of merchandise, however, the more things Leia found that were actually rather nice. There was an entire rack of dresses for a fraction of their original cost, and many were quite lovely. Unfortunately, there was nothing even close to her size; sometimes, being petite was so frustrating. She ran her hand lovingly over one of them, a deep green shimmersilk trimmed with black velvet. It was probably from someone who no longer had the money to go places where it would be appropriate, she mused or, even worse, had been killed or imprisoned by the Empire. It happened far too frequently now.

The trinkets she was uncovering made her wonder about lives of their former owners and what those lives were like now; she knew that for most, the state of their existences continued to deteriorate.

Leia had located a few pairs of earrings; not her style, but quality pieces. Absently, she picked up a ring box. She was finding that it was always a surprise what you might find at Nenmo's, and when she opened this box, she gasped. It was an incredible Tandgor fire gem set into a tastefully carved platinum setting. She'd always loved Tandgor fire gems, and this one was clearly of good quality.

Han and Nenmo had finished packing the ch'hala wood, ale, and wine into Nenmo's hover lorry—which was in roughly the same shape as the building—and were back inside the shop, leaning against the counter.

"Nenmo," Leia said breathlessly, handing him the box, "did you see this?"

Nenmo opened it and examined it. "I have no idea where this came from," he said, unconvincingly.

 _I just bet you don't,_ thought Leia.

"Would you like to buy it?" Nenmo asked her. "I'll give you a good deal."

Leia blushed. "I...I'm out of credits at this point. I'm sorry."

Han watched the exchange with interest; now he turned to Chewbacca.

"Chewie," Han directed. "Take the Princess back to the ship; I'm going with Nenmo in the delivery lorry. We'll meet you there."

The Wookiee's eyebrows drew together curiously, but he merely groaned in agreement.

"And don't forget the lady's kaf," Nenmo added, handing Leia a wrapper. "Nice to have met you, Your Highness."

"Thank you, Nenmo," she responded graciously. Chewie indicated that Leia should follow him, and they headed out to the street, where with any luck the speeder was still standing. In this neighborhood, it was questionable.

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Once Leia and Chewie were gone, Han pointed to the ring box that Leia had produced.

"I want you to hold that for me," Han instructed Nenmo.

"Ordinarily, I'd say no, but you're a good customer, so give me a deposit and I will," Nenmo told him. Then their eyes met. "Are you planning to give it to the Princess?"

"That's none of your damn business," Han barked. The Toydarian merely hung in front of him, his wings beating steadily, a faint smile on his face.

"Oh, come on, Solo, I see the way you look at her," Nenmo teased. "You're crazy for her!"

Han was forced to admit that Nenmo was more than a little right. "I hope to, someday," Han relented under Nenmo's steady gaze. "But if you ever say anything, not only will I deny everything, but I'll come back and rip your wings off," Han added in a very quiet, menacing voice.

"Now, now, don't get your shorts in a knot. You know I'll hold it. And I'll give you a decent price, of course."

"As good as you would have given the lady?" Han asked quizzically.

"Definitely not," Nenmo assured him, and the two headed for the lorry.


	14. Chapter 14

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 14

Chewie and Leia pulled their rented speeder up to Cav's kiosk. There was a crude hand-lettered sign stuck to the door that read 'out for midday meal.' Leia groaned. They'd spotted several clusters of stormtroopers on their way back to the spaceport at Hedrett, and from her perspective, the sooner they got back to the _Falcon_ , the better.

{We'll just throw the code chip in the slot}, Chewie assured Leia. {When Cav says 'out for midday meal, he could either be eating his midday meal, or, more likely, he's sitting in some taverna getting drunk. He could be gone for hours. We'll just park the speeder and then we'll go back to the ship.}

"It's only 1120, so we have a little time. The food delivery's supposed to arrive at 1145," Leia said, relaxing a little. Not having another encounter with the grouchy Devaronian appealed to her.

Chewie guided the speeder into what both he and Leia were fairly certain had been its original location, walked to the kiosk, and Chewie tossed the code chip into the slot that read 'after hours drop off.' Then they began the trek back to the _Falcon_ , Chewie taking slow steps so as to not outrun the princess. He was, after all, in charge of her safety, especially when Han wasn't around.

Chewie was still puzzled as to why Han chose to ride with Nenmo. Nenmo was trustworthy enough; there was no good reason for Han to mistrust his old friend, at least none that the Wookiee was aware of. He shook his head slightly. Sometimes humans were just so difficult to figure out, especially his cub. He loved Han, enjoyed his company-most of the time-and they usually worked well together. But sometimes the cub just made no sense.

By the time Leia and Chewie had approached the ship, Han and Nenmo were approaching in Nenmo's battered delivery lorry, which appeared to be held together by nothing more than Nenmo's faith. Leia herself was baffled as to why Han sent them on ahead, but promptly put the thought aside as Han and Nenmo began unpacking the decrepit vehicle. Chewie and Leia went over to help; Leia could lift a case of ale as well as anyone, and had done so before.

"You don't have to do this, Your Highnessness," Han told her with a smirk, but his tone suggested he was serious.

"I'm quite capable, thank you," Leia replied coolly, hefting a case and carrying it into the ship. She was damned if any man, especially Han Solo, was going to tell her what she could and couldn't do.

And whether he liked it or not, she was going to have to take charge of the next part of their mission. Once all their deliveries were loaded, they were headed to Thyferra, in order to obtain bacta. Han had contacts for things such as pain medications-after all, he'd spent years transporting illegal merchandise, and pain medications were always available on the black market-but bacta was another matter altogether. It was precious—and completely under Imperial control. Han didn't have the contacts or the knowledge. Leia did.

Not that her expertise it made it any less dangerous. This was likely to be the most treacherous part of the journey, and Leia wasn't looking forward to it.

The ale and Emera wine were now packed into the Falcon's hold.

"It's been a pleasure, Your Highness," Nenmo said to her as she stood on the gangway. "I suspect you'll find joy in your future." He gave her a sly smile.

"Thank you," Leia said, almost sorry to see the rather homely creature head off. _I'd be happy just to win this war,_ she told herself. Joy wasn't even part of the equation.

"Solo, behave yourself," Nenmo admonished. "And Chewie, if he doesn't, you know what to do." Nenmo flapped his wings, re-entered his vehicle, and headed off, the lorry chugging and coughing.

The three headed up the gangway and into the cockpit, where it would be easier to see when the delivery from Caomhanach's arrived.

"They'd better be on time," Han grumbled. "Waiting around here's asking for trouble. We caught sight of some stormtroopers on our way back here. They're hanging around the edges of the spaceport."

Leia felt her heart sink; this was the last thing they needed. Still, Han and Nenmo had gotten past them without difficulty. And ships

receiving food deliveries were commonplace in spaceports. Hedrett's spaceport was full of freighters, some of which were being loaded as they spoke. Hedrett was one of the larger spaceports in the Expansion Rim, and there was a lot of traffic.

"Let's do the flight precheck while we're waiting," Han said to Chewie, and soon both were engaged in a routine that was completely second nature to them. They didn't even have to think about what to do. Leia watched with interest as they moved effortlessly through the various checks.

The flight check having been completed, Han flopped into the pilot's seat. He ran a careless hand through his hair, a gesture Leia noticed that he performed frequently. She wondered how he avoided doing it during sabacc.

Chewie had gone to grab a snack of vegetables and meat and was dining in the lounge. Leia seated herself in Chewie's chair and looked at Han.

"You do understand that I'm in charge of the Thyferran mission," Leia said coolly. It was not a question.

"Is that so?" Han asked skeptically, arching an eyebrow in irritation. _Gods, she can be so damn pushy!_

 _"_ I have the contacts and you don't," she pointed out. "Unless there's something you haven't told me."

"So who IS your contact?" Han asked sullenly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Lenny in Accounting."

Han nearly choked. "Listen, Lenny's not bad, as far as droids go, but what does he have to do with this?"

Leia answered steadily, "Lenny has a contact with accounting for Zaltin Corporation. That contact has one at Xucphra Corporation. They've been smuggling bacta out to the Rebellion and doing enough creative accounting to hide the fact. That's how we've been obtaining our supplies."

"So why are we going there?" Han demanded.

"Because there's a large shipment we can get," Leia answered. "We're always running short. They can only send it in small amounts, and we need a lot more than we have. This way, we'll have a large supply on hand." She sighed. "People seem to get hurt a lot in wartime."

"That they do," Han conceded. "But do you really trust droids? I sure as hells don't." He continued to cross his arms, sulking.

Leia was becoming annoyed with him. He was acting like a recalcitrant child, and she had neither the time nor the inclination to put up with it.

"You've introduced me to individuals that I'd get as far away from as possible, because we can't go through legitimate sources. Droids should be less of a problem," she pointed out tartly, glaring at him.

"Oh, sure," Han remarked, indicating that he was, to say the least, skeptical. "You think they won't turn you over if their Imperial employers ask?"

"These droids are trustworthy. They've been friendly to the Alliance for years now," Leia persisted. "Many types of droids do have free will, you know!"

"Not going to help them if they get caught and melted for scrap," Han objected.

"Do you have a better plan?" Leia shot back.

Han grudgingly admitted that he didn't. "We'll try it your way," he grumbled. "But everything on Thyferra's heavily guarded. Way worse than here on Cularin, and that's been no picnic. Speaking of which, where in the hells is our food delivery? They're late!"

Leia had been so caught up in planning the Thyferra mission that she'd nearly forgotten about the provisions. "Maybe they needed longer to pack the lorry," she said, attempting to squelch her own uneasiness.

"Yeah, well, they'd better get here soon, or I'm going over there to wring Caomhanach's neck!" Han snapped loudly. "The sooner we get out of here, the less chance the Imps are gonna figure out we're in town, which I always consider to be a good plan!"

Leia kept her face neutral. "I'm sure they'll be here soon," she said,

not wanting her own uneasiness to exacerbate an already tense situation.

"So what's your plan when we get to Thyferra?" Han asked Leia. "Do you have a meeting place set up?"

"I have to get in contact with Lenny, and I should let General Rieekan know that we're safe," Leia said.

"I think 'safe' would be stretching it," Han said, climbing out of the pilot's seat. He began to pace. "And we're not making any contact till we're out of orbit."

"I wasn't suggesting we would!" Leia snapped back. Han was not helping matters at the moment, and she considered smacking him. However, she refrained, but only with great restraint. There were moments when she was grateful for her upbringing.

{Where's the delivery?} Chewie demanded, clambering up into the cockpit from where he'd been in the hold.

"You tell me!" Han barked at him.

{Do you want me to go to Caomhanach's and find out what the delay is?} Chewie was not one to shy away from a dangerous situation.

"I think that's a bad idea," Han said to his friend irritably. "Besides, if Caomhananch screws us over, I want the privilege of strangling him myself."

{You'd have to be able to get your hands around his neck,} Chewie guffawed.

"You're hilarious, fuzzball," Han growled. But Leia chuckled, and broke the mood, if only for a moment.

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Waiting wasn't one of Han's most notable skills.He paced about nervously, annoying Chewie and heightening Leia's growing anxiety.

"Kriff, Imps everywhere," he groaned, as stormtroopers swept through the docking bay checking ships. They didn't seem to stick around long at any one particular vessel, but their increased presence was unnerving.

There was still no sign of the delivery lorry from Caomhanach's. It was possible, of course, that the vehicle wouldn't be labeled, since Caomhanach did business with clients from all sides of the law. Still, it should have been there over an hour ago and the time seemed to be moving at an impossibly slow rate as they waited. Eventually, irritation at being delayed gave way to genuine worry that they'd been ripped off, and that Caomhanach never had any intentions of delivering the goods.

"They get fifteen more minutes, and then I'm taking Caomhanach's head off," Han growled. "We need to get out of here before the Imps get curious about us."

Leia couldn't argue with that line of reasoning. The last thing they needed was to blast out of there empty-handed and attract Imperial attention as they did. They had to get that delivery, but the delay was putting them in a very difficult position.

Chewie yowled angrily, and said he'd be more than happy to help Han take care of Caomhanach, but at long last, a large hover lorry pulled up next to the loading bay of the Falcon. All gave audible sighs of relief as they headed back to open the bay.

Before Han could open his mouth to demand what had taken them so long, one of the droids cried out.

"I'm so sorry, sir! We tried to get here on time, but we had to substitute some items for General Fries and he was most displeased-"

"Get the stuff on the ship! I don't care what your excuse is!" Han growled.

"But sir, he had his men kill Caomhanach and they set fire to our facility!"

"I'm sorry you're out of a job, but we need to get moving." Han's tone of voice was much more respectful this time. The droids were unpacking the lorry and bringing goods aboard.

"We were wondering if we could travel with you when we're done," the droid asked Han. "We had finished packing your order when the Imperials showed up, and we...well, we added whatever we could to your order. It wasn't a lot, only some breads and twenty cases of Corellian spiced ale."

Han groaned. He disliked droids-a lot. And the idea of three extra passengers didn't thrill him.

"We really should let them go with us," Leia said quietly as she directed the droids as to where to place the pallets of goods. "And We don't want them to tell the Imperials about us and they might even be useful when we get to Thyferra."

Han sighed. "Fine. But tell them they keep their mouths shut and do as they're told." He began stacking the crates where they fit best.

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The lorry was nearly unpacked when two stormtroopers approached the ship.

"Chewie, get us out of here!" Han shouted, pressing in the code to close the loading bay door.

{We haven't gotten clearance!} Chewie shouted back.

"I don't care, we're going!" Han jumped into the pilot's seat and brought the engines to life. He requested immediate clearance, drumming his fingers as he waited for what seemed like an eternity. In reality, the Falcon was cleared to leave in less then thirty seconds, which was fortunate, because more Stormtroopers were gathering. They hadn't opened fire, but Han wasn't about to stick around long enough for them to start.

He only hoped that the Imperials weren't going to make their trip any more interesting than it already was.


	15. Chapter 15

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

Chapter 15

"Let's hope they don't follow us," Leia said, fidgeting uncomfortably in the passenger seat of the _Falcon's_ cockpit.

"Or shoot at us," Han muttered, carefully guiding the ship out of Cularin's orbit. Chewie arroowfed loudly in agreement with that sentiment.

"I need the secure channel," Leia informed Han.

"Let's get a little further away from the planet first," Han suggested.

"I can't send a message once we go to lightspeed," Leia protested.

"Five minutes. It's still another ten before we're clear of the gravity well and we can even consider going to lightspeed," Han told her, trying not to sound irritated. "You'll have time."

"We're not being shot at right now. Let me send a message," Leia insisted. "As you've pointed out, that could change at any moment."

"Fine!" Han shook his head. _First the droids, and now she insists on sending a message. Gods, she_ _was_ _pushy!_

What Han found himself forced to admit, though, was that in an odd way, he liked that she was pushy. And that she was also intelligent, and spirited, and independent. _Damn good with a blaster, too,_ he mentally added with a quick grin. He never had been one for submissive women, but Leia's determination, sense of purpose, and her willingness to work hard had captured his admiration as well as his imagination.

Not that he was about to tell her that, of course.

"Thank you," Leia said levelly. She opened the secure channel and punched in General Rieekan's private code.

Leia assured the general that they were safe-if being upright, undamaged, and not being fired upon could be counted as such-and that

the mission had been successful. She then asked for Lenny. Her message to Lenny was equally brief, and coded.

"So what's the plan, Your Highnessness?" Han asked as he prepared to make the jump to lightspeed. They were headed for the Inner Rim. So far, no patrols were following them, and Han wanted to keep it that way.

"Lenny is going to reach out to his contacts," Leia explained, trying not to let the irritation in his voice get to her. "We'll set up a meeting. The droids we picked up might be able to help us."

"I think it's a terrible plan," Han said flatly. "I don't trust these droids at all."

"You don't trust any droids," Leia responded with elaborate patience. "I'm still going to make the contact."

"Do you think they'd hesitate for a moment to turn us over to the Empire?" Han suggested to her sharply.

"Not if we offer them a better deal," Leia responded.

A light flashed in warning on the control panel. "I'm making the jump to lightspeed. Strap in," Han ordered. He'd seen two TIE fighters on the sensors, and he wanted to get lost before they were in visual range. In a jump that was smooth as shimmersilk, white streaks appeared outside the viewports, and they were on their way to Thyferra—which Han considered to be a sweltering hellhole. He'd been there; the air was so hot and humid that it was like drowning, rather than breathing. He could think of no place he'd less like to be going, unless it was Tatooine. And at least Tatooine had decent cantinas.

But the last thing he was going to do was let Leia go on this mission with only a few droids for cover. No, he and Chewie had been instructed to care for the Princess, and that was what he was going to do.

"What do you mean, offer them a better deal?" Han asked scornfully, as he turned back to the princess, picking up where he'd left off. "They're programmed to serve the Imps!"

"They're programmed to do their jobs. We can reprogram to do other jobs," Leia pointed out. "And we'll treat them far better than that filthy pirate probably ever did."

"No question about that," Han muttered, thinking about the pirate. While he hadn't ever really liked Caomhanach, he didn't especially like the idea that he was dead. It was one more Imperial atrocity, and one less contact. Hostile contacts were better than no contacts. "So who's going to reprogram them?"

"I will," Leia said. "Or at least reason with them."

Han shook his head. "Better you than me."

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Leia headed for the main hold, where the droids were currently situated. They were quiet, which seemed unusual to Leia; she was frequently accompanied by Threepio and had grown accustomed to his nonstop chatter. Not that she always welcomed it, and though she wouldn't admit it to Han, whose opinion of Threepio wasn't repeatable in polite company, sometimes even she considered the protocol droid to have a deplorable excess of personality.

She smiled at them, attempting to put them at ease. Droids tended to assimilate the emotions of those around them; she wanted these three to understand that she knew of their plight and sympathized.

"I'm Leia," she said gently, sitting upon one of the packing crates. "What are your names?"

The largest of the droids stood up. "I'm T1NE. Usually I'm called Tiny. Nice to meet you, Leia." Leia had to stifle a giggle; it was ironic that such a large droid would be called 'Tiny.'

"Where were you constructed, Tiny?" Leia asked politely.

"On Corellia, ma'am. All three of us. This here's M0OS, we call him Moose-" he swept his mechanical hand in the direction of a shorter but equally strong-looking droid, "and that over there's B4RT," which Tiny pronounced as 'Bart.' "We're the best working crew around."

"I'm so sorry about Caomhanach," Leia said softly.

"I'm not," Tiny said. "He was not a very nice boss. Course, now we got no jobs."

"I wanted to talk to you about that," Leia said, sitting down on one of

the crates. "Would you be interested in working for the Alliance? You'll have to work hard, of course. And it's dangerous, being on the run from the Empire all the time. But you'd be treated far better than you have been; we appreciate our droids."

Tiny eyed her with, if droids could have expressions, skepticism. "Alliance is illegal."

"And what the Empire has done is criminal," Leia said forcefully.

"Yeah." Tiny said simply. "And we need jobs."

"Then join us," Leia urged.

Tiny looked at his two companions, who gave the droid equivalent of a shrug.

"Why not?" Tiny said to Leia. "Does this mean you're our new mistress now?"

"If you want to call me that," Leia said to them. "But Leia is fine."

"Okay," Tiny answered, with the barest of nods.

Leia smiled, but the smile faded nearly immediately. "How would you feel about going on a mission?" She shifted forward on her seat.

"Mission? We're laborer droids," Tiny said to her, puzzled.

Leia drew a breath. "Tiny, you were in charge of maintaining a large inventory, making sure orders went out correctly," she began.

"I also took care of deliveries," he pointed out. "Made sure everything was correct. What kind of mission?"

Leia couldn't sugarcoat the dangers involved. "We have to get bacta."

Tiny looked up. "I've unloaded bacta."

"You have?" Leia asked. She needed to know more about this.

"Yes, ma'am. I spent five standard years at Zaltin Corporation on Thyferra. That's where I'm from," Tiny answered solemnly.

Leia felt a tiny prick of excitement. "So you know your way around the bacta manufacturing facilities."

"Yes, ma'am, I have that in my memory banks." Tiny was now looking at her, his opticals no longer cast down.

Leia sat up straighter as the conversation continued. "Your knowledge would be tremendously helpful for this mission. Did you know any of the droids in accounting?"

"Some of them, yes. I had to submit documents to them," Tiny said, a small amount of alarm creeping into his voice. "Why?"

"Our bacta supplies are channeled to us via some friendly droids in accounting," Leia explained.

"Ma'am...I mean, Mistress Leia...we work for you now. You tell Moose and Bart and me what you need, and we'll do it," Tiny's voice was bolder now. "I had to escape from Zaltin. I messed up an order and I was going to be melted down. So that's when I got the job from Caomhanach. He wasn't nice, but we needed the work, and it was better than termination. And Moose and Bart, I met them there. We're friends."

 _I wish I could guarantee that nothing would happen to you,_ Leia thought sadly, but thought better of opening her mouth to express that. She needed to stay positive and encouraging, even when things looked bad.

She was, sadly, getting used to it.

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Leia returned to the cockpit and sat down in the passenger seat. "Tiny has worked for Zaltin in the past," she announced to Han and Chewie.

Han's head swiveled sharply around. "Tiny? Are you kidding me?"

"T1NE," Leia corrected him, trying not to show her annoyance. "He goes by Tiny."

"Lemme guess. It's the big guy," Han grumbled.

"Yes. He is-was-the supervisor in the warehouse at Caomhanach's. He worked at Zaltin before that."

"Terrific," Han said sarcastically. "So let me guess: you and he are planning a run on the place."

"No, we're not!" Leia said sharply, this time not restraining herself. "We have a plan."

"Do I get any say in this? I mean, we're only entering one of the most heavily patrolled and guarded planets in the system!" Han pointed out.

"I wasn't going to leave you out!" Leia shot back. "I'm sorry if it damages your delicate male ego that I'm capable of planning things!"

"There's nothing delicate about me, Your Highnessness!" Han snarled at her.

Leia sighed heavily. "We're not accomplishing anything by arguing."

Han grudgingly realized she was right. His voice grouchy, he faced her and said, "So let's have it."

"Lenny's set up a shell corporation," Leia explained. "He set it up so that the Hutts own it."

"And the Hutts haven't figured this out yet?" Han was suddenly even less happy with this so-called plan.

"Whether they have or not is irrelevant," Leia pointed out.

"Irrelevant," Han spat. "In case you don't remember, Princess, the Hutts want my neck and everything that's attached to it!"

"Will you relax?" Leia shouted. "You're not going to have any encounters with the Hutts on this trip! The shell corporation is just so that the funds we give them look legitimate. They leave the Hutts pretty much alone."

"Always an intelligent thing to do," Han muttered. "But what does this have to do with us getting the damn bacta?"

"The Imperials won't be able to trace it to us," Leia explained. "So it'll make it easier to get hold of the bacta and get it to your ship. Of course, you're going to have to use one of your ship's aliases. I'm assuming you have a few."

"She's pretty recognizable," Han said, with some pride in his voice, but also a trace of trepidation. "Okay, yeah, there are a lot of YT-1300s out there. But not like my girl here." He patted the console gently. Leia was beginning to understand that the ship was deeply a part of Han, and she had started to grudgingly accept his attachment to the battered little freighter.

"So I'll accompany the droids and you and Chewie will stay with the ship," Leia continued.

Han rose out of the pilot's chair. "Now wait a minute, Your Worshipfulness! You are NOT going out there with just the droids! Rieekan gave me a job, and that job is to get you back in one piece!" He waved a finger under her nose.

"Point that thing somewhere else!" Leia yelled back, swiping at his hand, and missing.

"Certainly, Your Highnessness!"

{Will you two knock it off?} Chewie roared at a volume so high that the ship shook. Stunned, both warring parties went silent. {We've got a mission to carry out and all you two can do is yell at each other! Just stop it!}

Han and Leia looked at each other for a moment, then cast their eyes down. Han spoke first.

"Look, I'm not trying to give you a hard time, Leia," he said, his voice quiet. "I just think it's a bad idea for you and the droids to go it alone. Chewie and I will provide cover. It's our job, and we promised Rieekan that we'd do it. I'm expendable. You're not."

The way Han said 'I'm expendable' made Leia's heart tighten in her chest.

"No one is expendable," she said softly. "But we do need to have the ship guarded. After all, we're going to bring the delivery to the docking bay."

Han looked at his first mate. "Think you can do that, Chewie?"

Chewie gave a disgruntled awroof, but grudgingly agreed to do so. {But I'm going to worry.}

"You're like an old grandmother," Han harrumphed. Chewie glared at him.

"Someone needs to look after you," Leia said tartly as she spun on her heel and exited towards the lounge.

 _You could have the job,_ Han thought longingly as he watched her exit.

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Leia, Han, and the droids had gone over the plan for getting the bacta as they sat around the dejarik table, currently clear of its game pieces. They were essentially going to hide in plain sight.

"How were we getting this stuff before?" Han demanded.

"We actually had it shipped to us, but there were suspicions being raised, so now we have to get it ourselves," Leia groaned.

"It's going to be a pretty tight fit in the cargo hold," Han pointed out. "But we'll manage."

"We don't have much choice," Leia said, her tone businesslike.

"Let's just hope we're not boarded," Han muttered crossly. "If we are, we can say goodbye to everything, including our heads." Han was starting to feel, constantly, that the thread holding his neck to the rest of him was getting more and more frayed. If it wasn't the Hutts, it was the Imperials.

He hated them both, but he'd always had an aversion to those who desired to kill him and his friends.

And there was no way he could let anything happen to Leia. Under any condition she had to return safely to base. He would keep her safe, no matter what. Because if something happened to her…

Han did not like where this line of thought was taking him. It was making him far too vulnerable, and if anyone hated feeling vulnerable, it was Han Solo.

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The _Falcon_ was now entering Thyferran airspace. It was, as anticipated, heavily patrolled by IVP-1s. The IVP-1s, Han knew, were not able to attain lightspeed, but they were impressive at sublight, and they could easily take down a small freighter.

"This doesn't look good," Leia commented in as neutral a voice as she could muster.

"Pretty much what I expected," Han said steadily. He'd dealt with such craft before; as long as he made no aggressive moves, he expected that they'd get through. "But we're gonna have to get clearance pretty soon. Chewie, be ready in case the fun begins."

The comm crackled to life. "Identification," the disembodied voice demanded.

"YT-1300, delivery of lab equipment," Han announced.

"Tiny!" Leia shouted to the droids. "What companies make lab equipment for bacta production?"

"Well, ma'am, there's several-" Tiny began.

"Just give us one!" Leia demanded.

"Verissima Industries makes the gel extractors," Tiny called back.

At that moment, the comm came to life again. "Company name?" It demanded. Thyferran air traffic control wasted no time on pleasantries.

"Verissima Industries," Han said smoothly. Leia noticed there were a few beads of sweat on his brow and upper lip.

A moment passed, and everyone held their collective breath.

"Proceed. Docking Bay A34C," the controller instructed them. "Stay on present course."

"Not the warmest welcome we've ever received, but not the nastiest by a long shot," Han said, sucking in a breath.

"Do you require an unloading crew?" control demanded.

"No. We have our own. Thanks," Han said gruffly, snapping off the channel. "Boring conversation." He was concentrating on entering the gravity well, and he didn't need any further distractions. "Wait'll they find out we've got nothing to deliver."

"It's a busy port," Tiny offered. "No one's gonna notice."

"That's what you say!" Han shot back. "We're a lot more popular than we'd like to be."

"I'll make sure you get your bacta loaded," Tiny promised.

"You'd better," Han answered.

"Han, do you mind? Tiny, Moose and Bart are trying to help. Could you stop arguing with everyone? Just for something a little different?" Leia snapped at him.

"Absolutely, Your Worshipfulness!"

Chewie did his best to hide his snickering.


End file.
